February 3, 2003
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I didn’t ever think that a tragedy like this would ocur twice in my lifetime. I remember the day that the Challenger exploded in midair…and I will never forget what I felt watching that on live television.
I can’t even imagine what was going through the minds of these brave and talented individuals as they endured what they did before meeting their demise.
I do know that they should be remembered as people who went to a place that so few travel in order to collect data in an attempt to inevitably make our lives here on earth better.
The Columbia crew just moments before the launch on January 16, 2003.
Mission Commander – Rick D. Husband
Ilan Ramon (Colonel, Israel Air Force), payload specialist representing the Israel Space Agency (ISA)
Astronaut Pilot – William C. McCool
Mission Specialist – David M. Brown
Mission Specialist – Kalpana Chawla
Payload Commander – Michael P. Anderson
Mission Specialist – Laurel B. Clark
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/sts-107/sts-107-19.html
STS-107 MCC Status Report #19
Saturday, February 1, 2003 – 7:00 p.m. CST
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
The Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts were lost today when the vehicle broke up over north central Texas during its reentry from orbit.
Communications were lost with Columbia and its crew at around 8:00 a.m. CST, while the shuttle was traveling about 18 times the speed of sound at an altitude of 207,000 feet. Columbia was 16 minutes from landing at the Kennedy Space Center when flight controllers at Mission Control lost contact with the vehicle. Columbia was returning from a 16-day scientific research mission, its 28th flight, which launched on January 16.
Aboard Columbia were Commander Rick Husband, completing his second flight, Pilot William McCool, wrapping up his first mission, Mission Specialists Dave Brown, also completing his first mission, Kalpana Chawla, on her second flight, Laurel Clark, a first-time space traveler, Payload Commander Mike Anderson, ending his second flight, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon of the Israel Space Agency, on his first flight.
Truly a great loss and sad time for us all.
~Maria
Comments (17)
the whole nation mourns the loss of the men and women aboard the Columbia.
May the familes make it thru this time of sorrow.
Have a good week.
And you did a GREAT job on the post!!!
it is a very sad incident. may God be with their families.
did you catch the all-star game? or the pro bowl?
lets just be blah together!!!!
Very touching tribute hon{{{hugs}}}
Another sad day for us. A great loss for us again. I never thought I would see another one in my lifetime either.
It’s so very sad. I think about what those last minutes must have been like for them too.
Its a great tribute you have done
prayers definitely for the family of the deceased = wonderful memorial u put up maria~!!! thank you =)
I watched the memorial today. It was so sad – seeing all the faces of little boys and girls that would never see their mommy/daddy again. *sigh*
Take care
A tragedy indeed, but I believe it’s most important to remember what they, and all astronauts, accomplish for all humanity.
An unusually diverse crew like the Challenger. Given how complicated these things (space ships) are we’ve been rather lucky not withstanding the recent tragedy
You did a wonderful job of putting together this post as a wonderful tribute. I, too, saw the memorial today and cried along with the children. There are praises though……their were believers in Jesus Christ onboard that shuttle. Did you happen to see Keith Green’s interview with Connie Chung tonight? He told of how Rick Husband had emailed him from space praising the God of all creation because of what he was witnessing outside the spacecraft window. And how Rick’s wife had requested one of the praise songs off of Green’s new album as the wake-up music for the craft….. You have to keep the faith when things like thes happen, that God is in control………..
I am sorry, I didnt explain myself very well on my blog. The b*tch cat scratched my other cat and it became infected, resulting in an absess.
*SIGH* I remember the one in 86 all too well. Now another. So sad.
Very wonderful tribute!
Sorry I don’t make it by more often but for some reason the floaty hearts make my browser wobble. 
It is hard to believe isn’t it.
You have a wonderful site it looks absolutely wonderful…
Hi there.. This is a great tribute to th crew. Yes, how sad it is that we have to come together once more as a nation and mourn our heros.
On a lighter note, are you ready for the weekend? Have a fine one