Do you not understand the impact something of this magnitude could have on the future of NASA? Do you not understand the blow to space exploration if NASA is hurt? Are you a complete idiot?

And possibly more important than that, 7 people died today, doing something that will aid the future of humanity.

What many people just don't seem to realize, or perhaps they simply do not care to understand, is that the space program is not something to dismiss lightly. I realize that as time goes on, less and less of our population is interested in science, and only in science fiction or fantasy. (Not many will actually believe what fact-based astronomy tells us of certain things in the universe... yet will fiercely cling to astrological beliefs. Go figure.) Many do not realize the advancements the space program has made for all of us: microwave ovens and teflon are but two which spring to mind; and many people just tuck NASA and all it represents into the back portion of their minds and take them for granted.

Familiarity breeding contempt, perhaps.

The last mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia was one designed for the advancement of humanity. It was purely science-oriented: 16 days in space to perform many experiments and collect data from those experiments. The study of how flame acts in a weightless environment would lead to a better understanding of fires on the earth... and how to better deal with out-of-control canopy forest fires. Other microgravity experiments in cellular growth leading to how to eradicate certain cancers in people. There were others as well.

And much of that data is lost... along with seven human lives.

Seven dedicated people went up knowing the risks involved -- folks, it is NOT as simple as jumping aboard a plane and flying to Chicago! -- people who gave their lives in the advancement of knowledge for all humanity.

And neither did I. Did I know seven people were up there testing stuff that had to do with cancer along with other scientific things? No. It's just something I can't put into words, and perhaps many others feel the same.

Twice this has happened. On 9-11 I woke up and turned on the news, only to see the twin towers burning. On Saturday morning the first thing I did was turn on the TV, and the first thing they showed was the shuttle exploding. I later turned it on to see a shot of an astronauts helmet, lying empty on the ground.

Words cannot express the feeling of shock that I have had. I do feel sadness now, but I almost seemed deattached to the whole incident for a while, just because of the shock.

I have been keeping the families of Columbia's crew in my prayers, and also the future of NASA. It would be a shame to lose such a great program over a crash. I know that the crew knew what they were going into and that there is always a possibility of something going wrong, but I know that they knew there would be sacrifice for science.

I don't think this is going to stop the space program. Straw polls (at least on aol) are showing nearly 80% of the people participating saying we need to go on. I think we will.

I was reading the Apollo 13 Mission Reports, and it was said that cost of life and materiel can be expected in any relationship with exploration. People get used to the idea that we've been sending shuttles up and down, it's almost like we're blase that "well, we've conquered that part." This still falls under the umbrella heading of "Exploring Terra Incognito" -- ok, so it's not truly "terra." But it's still exploration, and the risks are great. The crew of any shuttle mission have that first and foremost in their minds before they ever leave the earth. The shuttles have flown long and well and have been put to great use; I hope they keep up the idea of the shuttles and figure out a way to make them an even safer means of travel. (Which, due to past funding, they haven't been able to really explore.)

Now I really feel for the astronauts we still have up there in the ISS. While not truly "stuck" there, as they weren't due to come home until March, the wonder is what means they will use. There is a Soyuz craft which they all know how to fly; possibly that will be used.

But I just can't help but think what is going through their minds right now. Can you imagine: being aboard the ISS and then this happens to your "ticket home?" (Although another shuttle was meant to be their retrieval craft.)

Feb. 4, 2003: At the dawn of the space age some 40 years ago, we always
knew who was orbiting Earth or flying to the Moon. Neil Armstrong, Yuri
Gagarin, John Glenn. They were household names--everywhere.

Lately it’s different. Space flight has become more “routine.” Another
flight of the shuttle. Another visit to the space station. Who’s onboard
this time? Unless you’re a NASA employee or a serious space enthusiast,
you might not know.

Dave Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson,
William McCool, and Ilan Ramon

Now we know. Those are the names of the seven astronauts who were
tragically lost on Saturday, Feb. 1st, when the space shuttle Columbia
(STS-107) broke apart over Texas.

Before the accident, perhaps, they were strangers to you. But if that's
so, why did you have a knot in your gut when you heard the news? What were
those tears all about? Why do you feel so deep-down sad for seven
strangers?

Astronauts have an unaccountable hold on us. They are explorers. Curious,
humorous, serious, daring, careful. Where they go, they go in peace. Every
kid wants to be one. Astronauts are the essence of humanity.

They are not strangers. They are us.

While still in orbit Dave Brown asked, jokingly, “do we really have to
come back?”

No. But we wish you had.

The Science@NASA team, as does all of NASA and the world, extends
heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the STS-107
crew. Please see the NASA Home Page (http://www.nasa.gov) for more
information on the Columbia Investigation.

--Tony Phillips (author), Ron Koczor, Bryan Walls, Becky Bray, Patrick
Meyer.

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Photos have now been released from military high resolution scopes, photos taken of the Columbia about a minute before she disintegrated, and photos which showed damage to the left wing. It is now my firm belief that NASA knew from the liftoff that there was damage, and that the craft would probably not return safely to earth.

They HAD to know. As well as the fact that they had to keep it quiet, both from the public (what with the war in Iraq and terrorism from Al-Quaeda looming) and I would hope from the crew of Columbia as well.

There was no physical way the ship could have docked with ISS, so that is out. There was no way they could have repaired the wing.

My heart goes out to those at NASA even more so than it had before. What a terrible burden to bear, if indeed my suspicions are justified.

Lets just hope some of that nearly half a billion dollars coming from taxes to aid NASA is spent wisely in diverging a plan to keep this from happening again... perhaps work on this, before Bush's nuclear bomb defense ""Lasers"" that would be in the atmosphere...

Kind of ironic, that the lasers are sometimes referred to as 'star wars'...

Personally, I think it's really low to believe that they knew and did nothing. Unless directed by the President (and chances are he never knew what a space shuttle was before this happened), they would have found a way (possibly sending up another shuttle to get the crew, or with the materials to fix the problem) to save them.

There just isn't any way they could get to the shuttle, nor is there anyway they could get the astronauts to the ISS. All they could do was hope that fate would decree that it make it safely down, against all odds, which of course it didn't.

First, Anakin's 'yadda yadda' gives me deja vu for some reason...

anyway, second... they are green for March's liftoff... and I agree with part of what Anakin said, we should have some sort of 'back-up' plan/shuttle... I know it would cost a lot, and not only money but man power as well... but something has to happen from the 475 million given to NASA, and it has to be substantial...