Space shuttle columbia lost

[Guest]

NASA Loses Communication with Shuttle Ahead Landing

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Sat February 1, 2003 09:40 AM ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The U.S. space agency NASA said it lost contact with the space shuttle minutes before a scheduled landing on Saturday as it crossed the United States with seven astronauts on board.

Television footage showed multiple trails that could reflect the shuttle's breakup.

The shuttle's landing was overdue after it was planned to arrive at the Kennedy Space Center at 9:16 a.m. EST. NASA officials lost contact with the orbiter at about 9 a.m.

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It doesn't look good They have lost all contact with it both communication and radar tracking.

[vade_101 0]

Uh oh. NASA was afraid this one might be a Terrorist target as well (because of the Isreali astronaught) .. but surely you can't target something at 200,000 ft? .. this has to be an accident.

[SFG 1]

I just heard of this.. not good news at all.</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA declared an emergency after losing communication with space shuttle Columbia as the ship soared over Texas several minutes before its expected landing time Saturday morning.

The shuttle was carrying the first Israeli astronaut and six Americans, and authorities had feared it would be a terrorist target.

Fifteen minutes after the expected landing time, and with no word from the shuttle, NASA announced that search and rescue teams were being mobilized in Dallas and Fort Worth areas.

Inside Mission Control, flight controller hovered in front of their computers, staring at the screens. The wives, husbands and children of the astronauts who had been waiting at the landing strip were gathered together by NASA and taken to separate place.

Columbia was at an altitude of 200,700 feet over north-central Texas at a 9 a.m., traveling at 12,500 mph when mission control lost contact and tracking data.

NASA, while not saying the shuttle had exploded, broken up or crashed, warned that any debris found in the area should be avoided and could be hazardous.

There were reports of debris seen falling.

In 42 years of human space flight, NASA has never lost a space crew during landing or the ride back to orbit. In 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff.

Security had been tight for the 16-day scientific research mission that included the first Israeli astronaut.

Ilan Ramon, a colonel in Israel's air force and former fighter pilot, became the first man from his country to fly in space, and his presence resulted in an increase in security, not only for Columbia's Jan. 16 launch, but also for its landing. Space agency officials feared his presence might make the shuttle more of a terrorist target.

On launch day, a piece of insulating foam on the external fuel tank came off during liftoff and was believed to have struck the left wing of the shuttle.

Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, had assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard.

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[FW200 0]

just saw it on cnn.. im watching now..

darn..

[foxer 0]

you can see it breaking up from one big peice.

[PPSDRNKR 0]

Yeah... watching burning pieces fall as I type.

[mr. Duck 0]

About this thing being a terrorist target? Hell no, not at that altitude, but again, maybe someone put in a timebomb in the shuttle, although I doubt that.  

Huh? The damned thing crashed?

[Ex-RoNiN 0]

Mission Control in Houston confirmed that they presume it to be lost

[foxer 0]

sad part about the thing is.Media doesn't care what they do.But when something goes wrong ,they cover it like no tomorrow.

it looks like a huge fireball going fast ,then it just breaks up in 3 or 4 piece.These people are DeAd

[Guest]

They were alive 45 minutes ago.

[Ex-RoNiN 0]

On launch day, a piece of insulating foam on the external fuel tank came off during liftoff and was believed to have struck the left wing of the shuttle. NASA said as late as Friday that the damage to the thermal tiles was believed to be minor and posed no safety concern during the fiery decent through the atmosphere.

EDIT: Uh oh

[PHY_Hawkeye 0]

They arn't nessessarly dead foxer. If they had time, they could bail out (It is possible from that altitude). However I think thats unlikley. SAR are working now.

I would think any irregularity in the thermal tiles would be a danger to the ship.

Edit: Sorry, my mistake. They can only bail out during takeoff.

[Koolkid101 0]

How many people died on the challenger?

[5thSFG.CNUTZ 0]

I hope they can determine what caused this so it doesn't happen again. It doesn't look good according to the video. I heard that the public was told to stay away from the wreckage as it may be dangerous. That being said, why would they fly this over a civilian area like Dallas - Fort Worth?

[PHY_Hawkeye 0]

Given the position of the Orbiter Prior to re-entry, and the fact that it has to glide in, There are only certain flight paths it can take in. So sometimes it's nessary to cross Built up areas.

[Guest]

NASA has confirmed it. The shuttle broke up at about 200,000 feet ( about 60 km). That means no chance of surviors

[5thSFG.CNUTZ 0]

HERE is a link to the video if someone hasn't seen it yet. I guess the rocket fuel can kill within 48 hours of exposure is unprotected.

[cam0flage 0]

Sad news

How ironic that the shuttle broke up over a town named Palestine, and it had the first Israelian astronaut aboard.

[PHY_Hawkeye 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Koolkid101 @ Feb. 01 2003,15:08)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">How many people died on the challenger?<span id='postcolor'>

There was a crew of 7 abord Challenger.

[pathfinder 0]

Truly a sad day. And yes the fuel is extremely deadly if inhaled. I hope the proper authorities have a contingency plan for a wide area clean up. Every piece will have to be approached as if it has the fuel on it. My thoughts are with the families of those lost.

[Bernadotte 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (cam0flage @ Feb. 01 2003,16:51)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Sad news

How ironic that the shuttle broke up over a town named Palestine, and it had the first Israelian astronaut aboard.<span id='postcolor'>

And of all the Israeli airforce pilots that they could have sent up, Ilan Ramon was one of the fighter pilots who actually flew the 1981 bombing raid that destroyed an Iraqi nuclear facility.

Very sad and very freaky indeed.

[bn880 5]

Scary eh.

Very bad time for the families and friends....

[Bernadotte 0]

<span style='font-size:11pt;line-height:100%'>1</span><span style='font-size:13pt;line-height:100%'>13</span>th launch

[Chronicles 0]

From the video i saw , it seems that the shuttle lost its thermal shield

Then it was a very progressive disintegration exactly like an asteroid coming in our atmosphere.

This shuttle was very old , i cant believe NASA let it fly in space again , maintenance never get something eternal.....

I strongly hope that all the noxious fragments left will kill nobody more.

I pray God for these human modern pioneer to rest in peace.

[PHY_Hawkeye 0]

It was 22 yrs old, the oldest in the fleet. But Discovery has flown more missions. This was Columbias' 28th mision. Each Orbiter is slated for 100 missions before retirement. Ande after every 3rd or 4th mission they strip them down for a complete overhaul. I wouldn't call it VERY old.

I do agree with your theory of a flaw in the thermal shield. Looked that way to me. But there are many other posibilities. We may never know.

My heart goes out the the crew and their families.