Space Shuttle Columbia Problems....

[JoeBob]

She's supposed to be landing right about now, but they have not had communications or radar data on her since reentry.

Prayers, please!

[JoeBob]

CNN has video of "multiple trails" over Dallas.

:cry:

[chop456]

Not again.

[Foxman]

This is horrible. :cry: It just burned into pieces, like they lost one (or some) of the ceramic heat shields that line the bottom of it. Godspeed...

[rabbit]

Almost 17 years to the day we lost the Challenger.:(

[JoeBob]

Way too many flashbacks to 1987 for me. It is very early to speculate. Losing a heat tile or two isn't that unusual, or dangerous in most locations. In the early days of the space shuttle program, they lost quite a few tiles during launch.

Its possible they lost just the right combonation, but it could be anything.

[Chitowncartfreak]

Did you all know that one of the crew, Dave Brown, was the astronaut that Paul and Parker interviewed on ESPN after the Texas race had been cancelled? He explained g-forces and how race car g-foces compared to the shuttle and fighter jets.

Very sad - thoughts and prayers with the family.

[damiandoan]

:cry: :cry: :cry:

DD

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by rabbit
Almost 17 years to the day we lost the Challenger.:(

and almost 35 to the day of the loss of the Apollo

[SteveH]

radar image from Shreveport

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/radar/images/DS.p19r0/SI.kshv/latest.gif

[JoeBob]

Here's the sequence of radar images: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/radar/images/DS.p19r0/SI.kshv/

[RaceGrrl]

A link to a Time story about possible causes: Three scenarios (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0%2c8599%2c418462%2c00.html)

[DjDrOmusic]

Originally posted by Napoleon
and almost 35 to the day of the loss of the Apollo

This is very hard for me. Roger Chaffee was a family member of mine and was aboard Apollo 1. My thoughts are with the family members of the 7 crewpersons. I'm numb, I'm mad, I'm sad..so many emotions running through me right now. PLEASE PRAY for the crew and their families...:(

[Kiwifan]

I am so sorry for you guys today.

A real tragedy for all. Our thoughts are with you today.

Russell.

[DjDrOmusic]

I know that with all that is happening in the world, terrorism is a suspect, but believe me there is no way a surface to air missle could hit an object going at Mach 7 and higher than any terestrial aircraft can fly. I have a feeling this may be a mistake, a terrible mistake. Just looking at the information, and this is speculation on my part, it looks like Columbia may have come in too shallow into the atmosphere. It would be like doing a bellyflop into a pool but at that speed...well you can see. :(

[Hardpoint]

It appears to me that damage to the left wing during takeoff is the most likely culprit. I'll leave the detective work to the experts and just mourne for the seven astronauts and their families.

[Eagle104]

Originally posted by DjDrOmusic
This is very hard for me. Roger Chaffee was a family member of mine and was aboard Apollo 1......
DjDr, I'm sorry to hear of your personal loss as a result of the Apollo 1 tragedy.

I have visited Roger and Gus' graves at Arlington Natl Cemetary.

Prayers for all involved and affected today.

[devilmaster]

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never Lark, or even Eagle flew -
And while with silent lifting mind, I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

- John Gillespie Magee, Jr, 1922-1944

[JoeBob]

Originally posted by DjDrOmusic
I know that with all that is happening in the world, terrorism is a suspect, but believe me there is no way a surface to air missle could hit an object going at Mach 7 and higher than any terestrial aircraft can fly.

According to the NASA Press Conference, Columbia was going closer to Mach 17 or 18, at an altititude over 200,000 feet. The US Government wants to spend billions of dollars on a missile defense system that might be able to hit objects at that altitude with that much speed. NO terrorist would be able to accomplish that, regardless of how lucky they might be.

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by JoeBob
The US Government wants to spend billions of dollars on a missile defense system that might be able to hit objects at that altitude with that much speed.

Actually at less altitude and much less speed.