Space Shuttle Explosion

[sarah_yzma]

Originally posted by Gonzo


I hope that this doesn't deter the United States from continuing it's mission of exploration and experimentation--their recent accomplishments, including the Mars landings, but more especially the International Space Station, have been very impressive. I hope they continue to stride forward.


Quinn

i agree 100%

Sarah

 

[ryhoyarbie]

i agree 100% that people who wanted to auction off debris from the shuttle on ebay are dumb......is america the land of the stupid now a days???......

ryan

 

[EmmyMik]

I'm still in shock. I had no idea that this had happened until well into the day (I was away from the tv and radio for awhile). I work at the U.S. Air Force Museum. Since the Air Force has had a hand in the space program, we have a lot of space stuff. When I got to work, I noticed that a local news crew was there. I didn't think anything of it (if it's a slow news day, sometimes a station will come by and film some happening at the museum). However, people started asking me for space shuttle stuff (specifically Columbia). I had no idea what had happened, so I found this unusual. No one ever asks for space shuttle stuff. When I finally found out what had happened, I was in total shock. We sell replicas of patches (all kinds of space stuff. For a space buff like me, this is awesome), and I went over to the display of the Challenger patch (we also sell a coin as well). I was so deep in thought, but thinking nothing. I had remembered reading an article earlier in the week on how it was the 17th anniversary of the explosion (as well as the 36th anniversary of the fire that killed the Apollo astronauts), and the Columbia astronauts observed a moment of silence. The irony is astounding.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by ryhoyarbie
i agree 100% that people who wanted to auction off debris from the shuttle on ebay are dumb......is america the land of the stupid now a days???......

Yep, it sure is! ^_^ Luckily though the vast majority(I hope) are warm and kind people.

But yeah the ebay thing doesnt surprise me...heck they were doing the same thing on 9/11.

The Challenger thing was way more tramatic for me as a kid, the power of live tv, heh. Oddly enough that was almost 17 years ago to the day.

One thing I absolutely cannot believe, is the mention of 'terrorism' in regards to this tragedy on the news. My gosh, do people give those goat boinking backwards extremists that much credit, that they could sabotage a shuttle in outer space? Please.
I think a ice cream stand could explode and the news would say 'well, al qaida hasnt been ruled out'.

At any rate, the coverage went back to regular programming very quick...so it made me realize something:
National tragedies are measured in coverage before it goes back to regularly scheduled programming.

So if this was 3 hours, and 9/11 was 3 days...I bet a nuclear attack would be 3 weeks, and then the collective consciousness of America would get back to the usual cynicism and Jay Leno late night tv jokes.

I suppose it is at once: 1) How it takes tragedies to bring this country together, briefly 2) Gives Bush a reason to look solem and important on tv and 3) Shows the resilancy of people and their ability to get back to normal quick.

The only thing that would outlast a nuclear attack would be another presidential scandal or an OJ type thing...as Hollywood and sex scandals seem to really galvanize the nation into discussion(by comparison OJ ruled the minds, water cooler dialogue, and tvs of this country for 3 years, whereas 9/11 did for maybe six months)

Gosh bless America.

 

[Splurge]

Phil,

How's the mood in Texas with this event? I get the idea that this particularly is hitting home for folks in Texas, although everyone everywhere is suffering. Any Texans on this board living near the area where this happened or where debris has hit?

Here in New York, many people in Times Square learned about it while reading the news ticker. I'm in a state of disbelief. I'm not even sure the entire gravity of it has sunk in with me yet.

My heart goes out to all of you.

 

[sarah_yzma]

i forgot phil lived in texas.....and gumby does also i think (hope i got that name right)

Sarah

 

[Luke]

I think Phil lives near to where one of the pilots came from - i recognised the name when they said it on the news. It must have hit the people hard.

 

[sarah_yzma]

really? i didn't get to hear the names (i had to go to the store yesterday)

Sarah

 

[ryhoyarbie]

i live in dallas texas...people have been finding all sorts of stuff from the shuttle....although this is going to be sick , i'll tell ya anyways: two kids found the leg off of one of the crewmembers just outside of dallas in a field on a farm...and there has been a lot of debris that has landed to fields, streets, etc. plus i think a woman accidently touched one of the debris, then touched her child, and then her father accidently touched her and they all went to the hospital to be treated, and they are alright...so that's the story down here...

ryan

 

[Cindy]

Not only is this a sad tragedy for our country, this is especially hard on the residents of Texas. Rick Husband, Mission Commander for the Columbia is from Amarillo, Texas. He leaves behind a wife and two children. Mr. Husband was active in our community and churches. Also, Pilot William McCool grew up in Lubbock, Texas. He leaves behind a wife and three sons. Our prayers are with all the shuttle's crew's families.

Being in Amarillo, we weren't affected by falling debris as the shuttle would have already passed east of us. Although, family members in Dallas say that they heard the boom and their house shook.

Words alone cannot express the sadness that we feel.