|
|
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Hail Columbia--Where were you?
|
spacegrl13
Member Posts: 122
From: Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Registered: Aug 2002
|
posted 02-04-2005 07:48 PM
   
That was a horrible day that I remember quite well. My parents woke me up early that morning because they had heard the news on the radio. I watched the TV in horror, not actually believing that something like this would happen. I felt so numb, and I had to go to a piano recital. I was shaking during the whole thing and I felt like there was a pit in my stomach. I cried a lot that night, and it was almost unreal. I had never expected for something like this to happen (I wasn't born when the Challenger disaster happened)and it was a very sad day. God Bless the crew of STS-107, we will never forget your sacrifice.
-Helen |
Gordon Reade
Member Posts: 334
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2002
|
posted 02-10-2005 11:34 AM
Steven Robinson was (and still is ) scheduled to fly on the mission right after Columbia’s last flight. Although I don’t know Steven very well he is just the greatest guy and he invited me to his launch on STS-95. That was the Shuttle flight John Glenn was on. I attended and had a fantastic time.So Steven invited me to his next launch. I excepted and had made hotel reservations at Cocoa Beach. But for some reason I held off on buying the airlines tickets until after Columbia landed. I check the news that morning on the internet planing to buy the tickets right after and was devastated to read about the loss of Columbia. I had known Kalpana Chawla in passing as we both flew out of the same flying club. The two of us had a number of friends in common. It was a terrible loss. |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
|
posted 02-20-2005 10:44 AM
Take a look at; http://www.marsonearth.org/107/anderson.html
|
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
|
posted 02-23-2005 01:50 PM
I was still asleep when it happened. My clock radio came on to wake me up - that is when I usually reach over and slap the thing for the 9 minutes of extra sleep. I normally don't hear what is on the radio, but that morning something jolted me awake. "We have confirmed that Columbia has broken up on re-entry over Texas" I was awake in an instant reaching for my TV remote to turn on the TV. During the time I was fumbling with the remote, I was saying "oh sh**, oh sh**, not again!!!" As the tv was warming up, I sat there for a few moments waiting for the video to show up again, which is now burned into my brain forever along with the video of Challenger shortly after "...Challenger go at throttle up" was spoken. It will be a happy day when we see Discovery flying in early May - I'm considering maybe even trying to attend that in person if there is a chance of a solid launch date. "Discovery, you are to at throttle up!"  Tom
|
teachspace
Member Posts: 74
From: river edge, nj usa
Registered: Sep 2003
|
posted 02-25-2005 02:16 PM
I was teaching one of my space classes that Saturday morning. Before I left my home, I turned on NASA-TV to make sure the de-orbit burn was going to take place. When that was confirmed, I headed for school with the plan of asking the school custodian if he could turn on one of the televisions so I could explain the landing while the kids watched.Since it was a Saturday, he couldn't get access to the televisions so that couldn't be arranged. My first class was for first and second graders so I explained that the landing was taking place while we were in class. I explained how it works with a couple of models and then we went on to the regular lesson I plnned for that day. When the class was over, the kids left the room and I stood by the door waiting for the next group of students to arrive. One of the moms walked up to me and said "did you hear that it exploded?". After swallowing hard, I said no - what exploded? She confirmed my worst fears when she said it was the shuttle. As the students came into the room, I phoned my son to see what happened. He told me that it was true. This was a group of first graders and I really wasn't in much of a state of mind to teach so I briefly told them what happened as gently as I could and gave them space pictures to color. My third and last class of the day was for fifth and sixth graders. I located a radio and we listened to the news that was being reported. While we listened we discussed what happened and the possible ramifications. While the class was going on, the people who run the Saturday classes came in to see if I was OK. They said I should go home, but I finished out the final class. After the classes were over, I jumped in my car and listened to the news in a kind of dazed state while I drove home. When I got home, my family told me how sorry they were and I just sat and watched the terrible pictures on the tv. |
OLDIE
Member Posts: 268
From: Portsmouth, England
Registered: Sep 2004
|
posted 03-27-2005 10:49 AM
Sorry this is a late addition, but I don't often read this topic. I was on a coach tour of Florida, just passing Daytona Beach, when our courier picked up the intercom. With tears in her eyes (it upset her for the rest of the trip) she announced that Columbia had been lost. Next day we had been scheduled to visit KSC. The visit went ahead, and it was a very moving experience. Every visitor was given a red rose to pay their respects at the Astronaut memorial (if they so wished). Needless to say, for the rest of the trip I was glued to the T.V.
I mention all this, because I note that I will be in the States again when STS-114 launches. I'm not near the coast this time, but on that day I'll be in Texas. I'm keeping fingers crossed for a safe launch! | |
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a
|
|
|
 advertisement
|
