Breaking News: Space Shuttle Columbia explodes (1 Viewer)

[Francois Caron]

The space shuttle was travelling at a speed of 20,000 Km/h and an altitude of 61 Km when it broke apart. One possible (and more realistic) scenario is that the shuttle shifted in a sideways angle and the rushing air slammed into the shuttle and shattered it. Unlike the American news services, CBC Newsworld downplayed the terrorist angle, but did mention the increased security measures considering the presence of the Israeli astronaut. They also mentioned the hard fact that a vehicle losing control at that airspeed would break apart on its own. As for whether the damaged wing was responsible for the incident, we'll know more once a full investigation has been completed.

My sympathies to the families and NASA staff. Even though the astronauts and NASA personnel are well aware of the risks involved in space exploration, it always hurts when you lose a crew.

 

[Mike Voigt]

:frowning: God bless. We didn't need another one. For that matter, we didn't need the first one, either.

My heart goes out to the family and all the people involved in making these flights a reality. This is a terrible shock.

But let's also keep the chin up and keep going. Find out what happened, eliminate that scenario and other similar ones, and keep working on space.

Mike

 

[Steve Tannehill]

I heard the rumble of the explosion. I feel sick.

Same here, although I did not know what it was at the time.

Weather radar on Dallas local channels is showing a debris field traveling over East Texas and West Louisana.

No words.

- Steve

 

[Natalie M]

I don't think they'll ever really know what happened, unless they find lots of debris with enough evidence.

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html
http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/displayonly.htm

:frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:
So sad.

 

[Carlos_E]

Horrible news. It is a very sad day.

I am not watching television. Can somebody please tell me if the shuttle had finished rentering the atmosphere? Online news services report that it was flying at an altitude of 217,000 feet when communications were lost.

I need someone to tell me if this was past the communications blackout period that occurs after the shuttle starts to renter the atmosphere? I know there is about a 2 minute communications silent period as the shuttle is reentering the atmosphere (due to the heat and turbulence?). Had the shuttle gone past this 2 minute blackout period and restablished communications with Houston and then contact was lost. Or was all communication lost after the shuttle started rentry and communications were not restablished at any point.

Thank you very much.

Carlos

 

[CharlesD]

Carlos,

They are giving a time at which NASA lost radio contact with the Orbiter, so it was past the blackout. I would assume that they were collecting telemetry over the radio link at the time of the breakup so maybe they will be able to figure out what happened.

So very sad.

 

[RobertR]

Horrible, horrible news. :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

 

[Steven K]

What a terrible loss.

This will push the space program back 10 years just like the Challenger explosion did. Anyone hoping for a manned trip to Mars anytime soon will probably be very disappointed.

 

[Dheiner]

:frowning:

 

[Kevin Porter]

It's been reported that one of these members was the son of a holocaust survivor and was carrying remnants from the holocaust. So we lost a little piece of history among many things today.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I'm just sickened over this terrible tragedy. We lost some brave people today...

 

[Steve Christou]

Terrible, tragic news, watched in horror at Sky news reports.:frowning:

 

[Carlos_E]

Thanks for the info Charles. So the shuttle had already entered the atmosphere then right? I think it starts making its rentry somewhere while it is above the Pacific Ocean. I may be wrong.

Carlos

 

[Jordan_E]

I turned on my computer, got online, and saw the headline and GASPED! I was 25 when the Challenger exploded. Broke my heart then and it hurts just as bad now. God bless the Columbia 7.

 

[Jefferson]

Sad indeed.
I'm in Texas now, but farther south. Has anyone in the area seen any of the debris? It appears to be falling all over the region, and is extremely dangerous.

 

[John Tillman]

Sad day...
I hope everyone on the ground is safe. 178k lbs slamming the earth at speed could do some damage to populated areas :frowning:.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Has anyone in the area seen any of the debris?

Not personally, but the local channels are broadcasting live from various scenes of debris...from as small as a 4-inch square tile, to a 2-foot segment of what appears to be nose or bottom section. There was also an overhead shot of a grass fire in a field. This is all in East Texas.

- Steve

 

[Shane Bos]

I just saw some of the debris on CNN it looks very charred. I would just like to add to the well wishes to the families of the Columbia crew.

May God be with.

 

[Agee Bassett]

Dave, let's please not steer this thread into lock territory with political comments.

A very sad day indeed. Let's hope for no debris-related casualties to add to those this tragedy has already claimed.