Space Shuttle Collumbia Inflight Breakup

[Ozgrade3]

The Space Shuttle Collumbia suffered an apparent inflight breakup ove Central Texas. Wreckage located over a 120nm path. Breakup occured at approx 203,000 ft and mach 12. More details in reporting points in the main forums.

God bless our fallen fellow aviators.

[the wizard of auz]

Poor folk on board. Makes one wonder what the VNE would be on the shuttle. Just watched a program the other day on foxtel about them and it looks to be an awsome peice of equiptment. they were only designed to do two hundred trips, but got near enough to a complete rebuild after each flight. some absolutely awsome numbers being quoted by the comentater.

RIP fella's.

[Sperm Bank]

Very sorry to hear .RIP.

[Sheep Guts]

Columbia was the first operational one out of the Hanger.
It completed 28 missions, the one yesterday would have been ist 29th. There have been over 110 Missions since the program started and 88 missions since the Challenger Disaster.

God rest their souls.

Solem Regards
Sheep

[Longhauler]

This is a terrible tragedy. I stood stunned for a long time in front of the TV when I learned of this. I have just now discovered something else tragic. I have read many news articles about this event quoting leaders from USA, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Palestine, and Israel. Of the articles I have read, only one leader of one of these nations felt compelled to have his political 2 cents worth. Who? John Howard.

Quoted from the Daily Telegraph, "Bush reaches out to grieving",
February 03, 2003

"Over the past two years the United States has faced unexpected adversity with a steady determination not to be cowed but to overcome," he said.

Am I splitting hairs? Probably, but it just leaped out at me as being wholly inappropriate.

:(

LH

[Buster Hyman]

Sad indeed.

Unfortunately, the QF crew operating into SYD from LAX on Sunday, announced it as Challenger instead of Columbia, but the sentiments were spot on.

:(

[Hugh Jarse]

I remember waking up on the 28th January 1986, switching on the tellie and seeing the Challenger tragedy unfolding. I thought it was someone's idea of a joke.

So I stuck a tape in the VCR and went off to work. I still have that tape, and the story was still running when the tape ran out. The rest is history.

Same thing when 11th September 2001 happened.

Then yesterday morning was like "Groundhog Day" for Challenger. Swithed on the tellie and there it was again....I immediately thought back to the 28th Jan 1986 and a cold shiver ran up my spine. Then the feeling of sadness.

Rest in peace.