Space Shuttle Tragedy......

[SmokinLizzies]

I'm a big fan of the Space Shuttle Program. However, these ships are getting old. Columbia was NASA's oldest shuttle and first flew in 1981. When it's all said and done, I'm willing to bet this was caused by a faulty part.

Sept. 29, 1988 the Challenger's crew also had a similer fate. The USA did not send a man into space for 3 years after that... With the current work on the Space station. I really hope they don't take another 3 years to look at this problem.

I feel bad for the crew of Columbia (STS-75). But, please don't have there lifes lost in vain.

The fate of the International Space Station, a $95 billion project nearing the final stages of completion, could hang in the balance after these events.

[~R-B~]

Space Shuttle Tragedy

[~R-B~]

Words can not even describe how I feel right now. They were so close to home, only 16 min away.....

[~R-B~]

Info on Shuttle Tragedy

[~R-B~]

Although Columbia was NASA's oldest ship marking it's 28th flight it has only done about 1/4 of what it was certified to do, that being 100 flights. Each shuttle (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Enterprise, and Atlantis) is subject to major overhauls on a regular basis. Columbia was subject to a $90 million, 17 month overhaul that began in Sept. of 1999.

It really is hard to speculate what went wrong at least for us, the general public. I just hope that NASA will be able to answer the questions as to what went wrong. Anything can really go wrong if you think about it. These astronauts are flying at speeds exceeding Mach 18 (12,500 miles per hour) while heading back into the atmosphere here on earth. They say the ship normally reaches heat exceeding 2000 degrees farenheit (spelling). So when you look at it that way any minor thing can lead to a major disaster. Now that doesn't mean I don't believe in the Space Shuttle Program, because I do very much. It just goes to show you the respect and admiration these men and women have for mankind on a whole, to knowingly and willingly put their life on the line, and do it with the greatest pride ever. That to me is a hero!!

My heartfelt sympathies go out to these seven astronauts and their families and friends. God Bless you all! [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]