I sure hope it doesn't mean the end of NASA, or the end of shuttle flights. There are three astronauts up there at the space station who would probably like to come home someday.
<strong>I sure hope it doesn't mean the end of NASA, or the end of shuttle flights. There are three astronauts up there at the space station who would probably like to come home someday.
Well, isn't there a Soyuz escape pod that they could use? I know that it's case of some sort of catastrophic emergency on the station, but who knows what's going to happen in the aftermath of this. I should know if the ISS has one or not... someone please enlighten me.
(edit: well, to answer my own question.. here's a quote from some russian space official found on cnn.com:
But, he added, should there be a decision to evacuate astronauts from the space station, they would be able to leave in the Soyuz Transport Module, which is parked there.)
This is truely a sad situation. Whatever the cause is, the shuttle missions have been amazing as far as a safety track record...until now?
My sympathies go to the shuttle crew and their families.
One point, to all the morons who think that these people in NASA's history of acheivements are a hoax...this is a real endeavor for us to explore space and acheive things that only others can dream of...and this sadly is the price sometimes for this experience.
It is real. We will prevail.
But what a horrible time for this to happen. I'm quite heartbroken...that's all I can say right now. <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" />
So, so sad. I can still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the Challenger exploded due to the faulty 'O-ring'. The image of the forked smoke trail the rockets made flying away from each other will forever be burned in my mind. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the families and friends of these brave people.
Just thought I'd share the text of Reagan's speech after Challenger... quite eloquent and comforting on a day like this...
---------------------------
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.
Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.
For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge and I'll meet it with joy." They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.
We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for 25 years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.
And I want to say something to the school children of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.
I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute. We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.
I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it."
There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." Well, today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God."
<strong>i wonder if they'll ever figure out what happened. do space shuttles have flight recorders?</strong><hr></blockquote>
CNN was reporting that NASA said they picked up six seconds of data from the space shuttle during its explosion. The data contains important shuttle information and the astronaut body information/vitals. That will help figure out what happened.
<strong>The analysts I have heard have not yet said whether there is any chance of the crew surviving. Does anyone know if the crew area is in a separate capsule that could stay intact on a break-up?</strong><hr></blockquote>
The crew are not in a separate capsule. But, they should be wearing partially pressurized suits equipped with a parachute during re-entry. However, the chances of them surviving an incident at this altitude and under those extreme conditions is highly unlikely.
Yeah, those are views of the *contrail* as it drifts over the area, NOT the debris, as the CNN ditz was saying.
Let's see... Columbia broke apart at ~9am CST, these views are of 11:30amCST... yeah, that's the debris, still hovering in mid air over two hours later. *sigh*
Comments
Frank_t
[edit: yeah applenut beat me to this point... ]
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: OBJRA10 ]</p>
Anyway very sad news. Just goes to show that space flight is still "rocker science".
<strong>I sure hope it doesn't mean the end of NASA, or the end of shuttle flights. There are three astronauts up there at the space station who would probably like to come home someday.
[edit: yeah applenut beat me to this point... ]
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: OBJRA10 ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, isn't there a Soyuz escape pod that they could use? I know that it's case of some sort of catastrophic emergency on the station, but who knows what's going to happen in the aftermath of this. I should know if the ISS has one or not... someone please enlighten me.
(edit: well, to answer my own question.. here's a quote from some russian space official found on cnn.com:
But, he added, should there be a decision to evacuate astronauts from the space station, they would be able to leave in the Soyuz Transport Module, which is parked there.)
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: ironchef82 ]</p>
i haven't been keeping up with what's coming next.... what are the current plans/proposals for a shuttle replacement? is one in the works?
one would think in 20+ years that there have been a ton of technological advancements that would make any replacement far superior and safer
My sympathies go to the shuttle crew and their families.
One point, to all the morons who think that these people in NASA's history of acheivements are a hoax...this is a real endeavor for us to explore space and acheive things that only others can dream of...and this sadly is the price sometimes for this experience.
It is real. We will prevail.
But what a horrible time for this to happen. I'm quite heartbroken...that's all I can say right now. <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" />
My thoughts are with the families. And may the brave crew rest in peace.
Some of these real-life disasters are getting a little TOO movie-like for my taste: September 11 and now this.
Sigh...
<a href="http://www.dailysentinel.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.dailysentinel.com/</a>;
---------------------------
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.
Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.
For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge and I'll meet it with joy." They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.
We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for 25 years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.
And I want to say something to the school children of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.
I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute. We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.
I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it."
There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." Well, today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God."
------------------
Farewell, Columbia. May your crew rest in peace.
<strong>i wonder if they'll ever figure out what happened. do space shuttles have flight recorders?</strong><hr></blockquote>
CNN was reporting that NASA said they picked up six seconds of data from the space shuttle during its explosion. The data contains important shuttle information and the astronaut body information/vitals. That will help figure out what happened.
1) 12,500 mph != Mach 6. Not even for very large values of 6.
2) Radar does not detect heat.
3) What the radar weather picked up wasn't the *debris*, you twit, but the *contrail* left over as it drifted over Louisiana.
You know, it's such obvious screwups like this that make me distrust anything these idiots say on any topic. God.
<strong>The analysts I have heard have not yet said whether there is any chance of the crew surviving. Does anyone know if the crew area is in a separate capsule that could stay intact on a break-up?</strong><hr></blockquote>
The crew are not in a separate capsule. But, they should be wearing partially pressurized suits equipped with a parachute during re-entry. However, the chances of them surviving an incident at this altitude and under those extreme conditions is highly unlikely.
<strong>To CNN Talking Head:
1) 12,500 mph != Mach 6. Not even for very large values of 6.
2) Radar does not detect heat.
3) What the radar weather picked up wasn't the *debris*, you twit, but the *contrail* left over as it drifted over Louisiana.
You know, it's such obvious screwups like this that make me distrust anything these idiots say on any topic. God.</strong><hr></blockquote>
i believe that all must have come from a single source since NBC repeated all three of those "screwups"
<a href="http://weather.noaa.gov/radar/latest/DS.p19r0/si.kfws.shtml"; target="_blank">National Weather Service Radar Image - Dallas/Fort Worth, TX</a>
<a href="http://weather.noaa.gov/radar/latest/DS.p19r0/si.kshv.shtml"; target="_blank">National Weather Service Radar Image - Shreveport, LA</a>
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: King Chung Huang ]</p>
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: Samantha Joanne Ollendale ]</p>
[ 02-01-2003: Message edited by: Samantha Joanne Ollendale ]</p>
Let's see... Columbia broke apart at ~9am CST, these views are of 11:30amCST... yeah, that's the debris, still hovering in mid air over two hours later. *sigh*