Columbia Disaster

[Gojira]

If you\'re older than about 9, you\'ll know exactly what I\'m talking about.

Space Shuttle Columbia.

That\'s right.

The one that exploded February 1, 2003.

I was barely 5 1/2 years old.

I went to the funeral.

I still remember thinking, 'What the heck happened?'

Those exact words.

;-;

[Phoxtane]

My mom has the front-newspaper clipping covering that disaster in one of her scrapbooks.

[NovaSilisko]

I remember seeing footage of it at the time, but I don\'t remember any of it in real detail... Only now can I really understand what happened.

What upsets me the most is that NASA could have saved them - Columbia had large amounts of consumables on board, enough for one month in orbit. Plus, another shuttle (Endeavor if I remember right) was being readied for launch. If they had proceeded with its launch, they could have sent it up to Columbia with five days overlap for a rescue mission.

[r4m0n]

Damn, I\'m getting old... I still remember Challenger...

[Guest GroundHOG-2010]

I was 8. I liked spacecraft. I knew alot about this incedent. (or was I 9 or 10).

[Tiberion]

Damn, I\'m getting old... I still remember Challenger...

Me too, I was one of the millions of school children tuned in live to the launch that day from school. I was in 3rd grade.

[Raziel]

Me too, I was one of the millions of school children tuned in live to the launch that day from school. I was in 3rd grade.

Same thought came to my mind....: ) Was a huge shock for me to see my beloved Challenger (of which I had a toy) explode a few minutes after take off. The loss of the astronauts hit some time later.

[RichieD76]

Riding rockets by mike mullane is a good book that shows the disaster of challanger from an active astronaut at the time. I recall getting home from school when news came through about columbia. The BBC first reported that it was 'late' returning from orbit and that it was 'missing'..... I saw space camp the film! I knew what had happend straight away. In both disasters it came down to negligent PEOPLE. NASA has to rid itself of managment and the workers definitions. It should be MR/MRS WHOEVER ordered not to look at the heat sheild ect. I still look at both as tragic murders. The bold risking all in persuit of there life long dreams. Putting there lives in the hands of the enginers...whoes hand\'s were tied by the managment. In both cases people grieved for the loss of life and loss of machine. Men and women dedicated there lifes to the shuttle\'s design, build and operation....Not a single one pictured is ever taking a life. RIP columbia, challanger and those who flew them

[Gojira]

A little extra info on Challenger:

The explosion on liftoff was caused by erosion in the O-ring on the right SRB, causing it to be a Criticality 1 part, which meant that the orbiter would be destroyed as well as the EFT and SRBs.

[Capt'n Skunky]

These accidents are the direct result of letting bean counters into management. NASA should be staffed by people qualified and knowledgeable in the art of Rocket Science and having an MBA should disqualify anyone seeking employment. NASA is not a business, it is a scientific research agency.

Arrr!

Capt\'n Skunky

[Gojira]

These accidents are the direct result of letting bean counters into management. NASA should be staffed by people qualified and knowledgeable in the art of Rocket Science and having an MBA should disqualify anyone seeking employment. NASA is not a business, it is a scientific research agency.

Arrr!

Capt\'n Skunky

Exactly.

We don\'t need Kerbal-esque failures in reality, expecially on manned rockets.

[RedDwarfIV]

'Its too cold. We shouldn\'t launch - the O Rings could fail.'

'Launch it.'

'We can\'t, it could result in fatal damage to the shuttle.'

'Launch it.'

'We can\'t launch the shuttle!'

'Launch it.'

Robots could be better at managing a space agency than management.

[Altair1371]

I remember waking up, and my parents told me to go outside. I saw the streak, but didn\'t understand the significance of it.

[Lordherrmann]

I remember the day quite good. I was 7 by this time and I remember we were tobbogan (if this is the correct form). I really had fun.

The I came home and suddenly I saw this pictures on TV, I was really shocked immediately thought of the challenger. (I was alreay a space interested person by this time) This was a really strange day after this.

It\'s kinda strange watching the camera recordings from inside where you see them joking only minutes before dying. :\'(

[RichieD76]

Just another little fact the CIB, Columbia Investigation Board, tested the carbon carbon panels that were damaged in the foam strike by removing the panels from Enterprise, the first flight (but not space worthy) orbiter. It\'s now been moved but you could still see the battle scars on it when it was displayed in the smithsonian

[bandit4910]

I was five at the time didn\'t know what happend.

Now I do.

[Agamemnon]

related to challenger... sts had one big problem... no las...

and good info about challenger are from richard feynman (he was a member of the investigating commitee)... including his addendum to the official report...

[Johno]

The morning of the 29th of January 1986 began like any other. We were driving to school (I was in Yr 6). Dad switched on the radio.

'And more on the explosion of the Space Shuttle in just a moment,' came the voice of Breakfast host Mike Carlton.

'Dad?! What happened?'I asked, panic evident in my voice.

'I don\'t know, SHHH!' he replied.

We were all big fans of the shuttle, though living on the opposite side of the world. We listened to the heartbreaking tale all the way to school.

I remember trying with all my 11 year old sincerity to be sad for the crew - but really I was sad for the vehicle, because even at that age I knew she could not be truly replaced.

[Pair of skis]

Call me oldy, but I still remember the night of January 27, 1967. Chafee, Grissom, White, Ozinuka, Auliffe, Jarvis, Resnik, Scobee, Smith, McNair, Brown, Clark, Anderson, Ramon, Husband, Chawla, and McCool, you will be missed. Plenum difficultatis iter ad astra provocat.

[Agamemnon]

Call me oldy, but I still remember the night of January 27, 1967. Chafee, Grissom, White, Ozinuka, Auliffe, Jarvis, Resnik, Scobee, Smith, McNair, Brown, Clark, Anderson, Ramon, Husband, Chawla, and McCool, you will be missed. Plenum difficultatis iter ad astra provocat.

+ komarov, dobrovolski, patsayev, volkov (and bondarenko and vozovikov)

[Pair of skis]

+ komarov, dobrovolski, patsayev, volkov (and bondarenko and vozovikov)

Yes. I was only showing the american half of the fallen astronauts. I remember that when I was six, I had a good view of Launchpad 34. I asked my dad, 'Hey, are they going to shoot up like the others?', or something similar to that. My mom called out 'Dinner!', so I had to move from my bedroom window to the dining room. I asked if I could watch the 'Wocket', and they said yes. I came back up to my window, and I saw that a flash of light came from the top of the rocket. I got my binoculars, and looked closer. Then, I saw the flames, as well as the 'ants' trying to put the fire out. I ran and got my dad, and we rushed outside. We both were shocked. I just stood there and cried.

[bandit4910]

Luckily I NEVER lived in or went to Florida the only way I found out is because I used to watch the news...

[Guest GroundHOG-2010]

Yes. I was only showing the american half of the fallen astronauts. I remember that when I was six, I had a good view of Launchpad 34. I asked my dad, 'Hey, are they going to shoot up like the others?', or something similar to that. My mom called out 'Dinner!', so I had to move from my bedroom window to the dining room. I asked if I could watch the 'Wocket', and they said yes. I came back up to my window, and I saw that a flash of light came from the top of the rocket. I got my binoculars, and looked closer. Then, I saw the flames, as well as the 'ants' trying to put the fire out. I ran and got my dad, and we rushed outside. We both were shocked. I just stood there and cried.

Wow...