Contact with Columbia Lost!

[chequita guevara]

What happened to Enterprise?

[Sirotnikov]

Yeah, but for several minutes they knew they were going to die by explosion. Probably horror.

[FrustratedPoet]

Oh give me a ****ing break!
These dumbass journalists are really annoying me. The question one of them just asked at a press conference I'm watching: "Can you tell us the last words of the crew on the shuttle?"

[Sirotnikov]

I thought enterprise was very very very old....

Wasn't it like.. in the 60s?

[Eli]

You know... For the past 7 hours I've been sitting here, with the headphones on switching between TV channels, switching between obscure Texan radio channels, reading every last bit of information in dozens of reports in three languages, periodically checking roughly 10 forums for more and only now it hit me. Another shuttle is gone.

[sabrewolf]

damnit... every day thousands die in car accidents, of hunger and illness, in wars, etc. and now make such a fuss about 7 people.

i know, it's a shame to lose good and intelligent human lives. but come on... some of you guys just don't see the big picture...

[Eli]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
What happened to Enterprise?

It was an experimental vehicle. Only for takeoffs and landings IIRC, it never reached orbit.

Edit : "Enterprise is the first space shuttle. ... The orbiter was only a test vehicle that was used for landing tests and is not able to fly in space."

[Winston]

My deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the seven lost pioneers, to NASA and to the people of America and Israel.

I am one of many who have followed manned space missions with the greatest interest since early childhood, and the news of the loss of Columbia is emotionally devastating to me.

This is a tragedy for the hopes and aspirations of an entire generation, but I'm confident that eventually the US and NASA will overcome this grave adversity also.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by sabrewolf
damnit... every day thousands die in car accidents, of hunger and illness, in wars, etc. and now make such a fuss about 7 people.

i know, it's a shame to lose good and intelligent human lives. but come on... some of you guys just don't see the big picture...

... nor apparently do you. See the big picture, that is.

It is a set back for the space program. That is a set back for everyone on this planet, whether they are aware of it or not.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by sabrewolf
i know, it's a shame to lose good and intelligent human lives. but come on... some of you guys just don't see the big picture...

It's seven people who died in front of the eyes of the world. Do you not think that when you see people die in real life that you get freaked out? I saw a major accident in Chicago where an old woman ran a red light and hit fourteen people, at least three of whom died. I couldn't think straight for at least a day.

[sabrewolf]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
It's seven people who died in front of the eyes of the world. Do you not think that when you see people die in real life that you get freaked out? I saw a major accident in Chicago where an old woman ran a red light and hit fourteen people, at least three of whom died. I couldn't think straight for at least a day.

no, it's not nice.
but that doesn't change anything.

i still think THINKING of 200 dead on bali is worse that SEEING 7 dead on TV. and actually you didn't see them at all. you just saw 1 shiny glowing object break up in 5-6 pieces.

the worst i saw was a porsche speed round a corner and when i came a minute later to that corner it turned out the car had smashed into a group of people waiting at a bus stop. two little kids (2 and 4 years) were dead, their mother and 2 other people seriously injured.

that was a horrible sight and thought, but i still see the proportions.

[chequita guevara]

People dying is people dying.

[sabrewolf]

Originally posted by notyoueither
... nor apparently do you. See the big picture, that is.

It is a set back for the space program. That is a set back for everyone on this planet, whether they are aware of it or not.

well, i didn't dare to say anything about the materialistic side.
the IIS schedule will take approx. 1-2 years longer now.

but life is generally considered more important than science.

[Evil Knevil]

Aww shit!

Lousy cheapskate Budget. If the Bu****es hadn't frozen Nasa's budget then the ISS would actually be worth something these days. Any way its not a time to score political points.

Whats interesting is that it was after the fire and brimstone part of reentry that it fell apart. No idea what could have caused it though. Most likely structural weakness.

I saw the damn Columbia go up in 1996, from the Press box nearest to the Launch (far away).

Such a shame, condolences to the families concerned.

[Kramerman]

Those people didn't want to die like that today, but if your time was today then that was a fine and noble a way to go and today such a pretty day in Texas...

indeed, best weather today than we've had in weeks... *sigh*

I am one of many who have followed manned space missions with the greatest interest since early childhood, and the news of the loss of Columbia is emotionally devastating to me.

same here