Shuttle Loss

[Father Fletch]

It is 6:48 am on the Pacific Coast. It appears that the Space Shuttle Columbia is lost, broken up on re-entry. My thoughts go out to all the crew, family, NASA, and all Travellers where ever they go in the great universe. Space is not to be achieved cheaply, but is a treasure beyond reckoning.

 

[plop101]

I second everything Father Fletch has said.

It appears to have broke up 100 miles south of Dallas Texas.

 

[tjoneslo]

More details here:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/01/shuttle.landing.ap/index.html

A very sad day indeed.

 

[Bruce]

I remeber when Challenger went down.
I live in Friendswood, which is but 10 minutes from NASA.
One of my players works on the shuttle missions.

Nothing worth doing is ever done easily.

My only hopeis we stay the path and keep going up into space.

Bruce

 

[Jame]

While it is a tragedy, we must not let it stop us from returning to space - though it should spur us to demand greater efficiency (as opposed to accountability) from NASA - they had several excellent shuttle designs and could have used any of them. The X-33 comes to mind (hey NASA! Listen Up!!), but since I'll rant if I continue, it's time to post.

 

[MichaelL65]

Early explorers always face grave dangers and risks. Humans are driven to do so anyway.

However, in our current culture of "sue someone when somthing goes wrong," I have dim outlooks for a quick recovery.

 

[far-trader]

Not to point fingers during the mourning but as I understood it, this shuttle design (which may not be at fault here) was the best NASA could do with the (trimmed) budget allowed.

Space is a hard sell to the average citizen for the government. That said your country, its citizens and government are to be commended for choosing to pursue peaceful international scientific missions to space "not because they are easy, but because they are hard,..."

Do not loose sight of the goal, grieve and be stronger for it, more resolute in your vision, for you lead the way to the future.

 

[vegascat]

To dare is to live. To dare great things is to be remembered by others after you pass on. These seven will be added to the list of heros of this age.
Rick Husband
Bill McCool
Laural Clark
Michael P. Anderson
Ilan Ramon
Kalpana C. Chawla
David Brown

 

[Jame]

I hear the FOX newscasters calling them victims. They're not victims, though they aren't martyrs or heroes. I don't know what to call them, but they're not victims. We do need to recover, though it may take a while. Just so long as we recover.

 

[Ellros]

From the news briefing... minutes before breakup, they lost telemetry to the left wing ailerons, then lost telemetry to the left tire pressure, then had extreme temp readings in the left wing structure. So it appears at this time the left wing burned/broke off.

 

[Nurd_boy]

am I being cynical in thinking that now we'll start seeing pieces showing up on ebay?

what a sad state we've droppedd to when THAT happens.....

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Nurd_boy:
am I being cynical in thinking that now we'll start seeing pieces showing up on ebay?

what a sad state we've droppedd to when THAT happens.....

I don't think its cynical as much as realistic, in fact a CNN (I think) anchor was just saying there were pieces on some auctions, though I didn't see any in a quick search on e-Bay (I looked not to buy but to tell e-Bay and check up on CNN), which was quick to kill such similar post 9/11 sales.

I'd expect such sellers to be loathed (at least) for attempting to profit on such a tragic accident. That said there are over 600 newly listed Coulmbia Shuttle items on e-Bay today. Most of them seem to be a CD of images (pre-crash) and I think the seller's own words condemn his sale as (knowingly) ill concieved. I think he hopes his (an assumption) "You should BUY NOW, as this sale will undoubtedly be ended promptly by eBay" tag is just get him more sales quick. I hope e-Bay sees that and fufills his anticipation.

I'm sure some of these sales are legitimate, if poorly timed, and no doubt there are some people who desire some token to recall the tragedy in remembrance.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Fox has mentioned that several pieces reported to police were not there when the police arrived.

$250,000 fine, 10yrs in the pen

I used tolive in Nacogdoches.

 

[Bishop Odo]

When 9/11 happened, I was stunned, but I knew that we would, as a nation, morn, investigate, prosecute and recover. Now I stunned once again, but this is dramatically different. I feel as if we lost a little light in these dark and troubled times. We are in a war that my last for decades against terrorism, but in the long run we will win, the economy is weak, but will turn around and now the Columbia accident. I know about the politics of budget cuts and how old the shuttle technology really is, but Washington D.C. politics are to blame ultimately, yet that fact will never surface. You can’t blame the bank. You can’t plan and build a program lasting for 10 years and have the budget cut out from under you in the last half of the program. That just wastes the money that was already spent. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but if anything at NASA is broke, its because of the budgeting. I hope we all can morn and learn from this tragedy without killing the political will to be on space. Because there are political agendas in our country, that would like nothing better to kill NASA and space program, and that would be the ultimate tragedy and mock those that have given their lives in the conquest of space and for science.

 

[Loki]

I too join the rest of those mourning our loss today. My heart goes out to the friends and families of our astronauts. To those in this community it hits even a little bit harder for we all dream about space travel, star exploration and taking our place amongst the interstellar communities. This is part of the first steps that one day will put us there and I fear that this type of tragedy is part of the cost we pay to get there. I wish it weren’t so but every human endeavor to advance has always cost heavily. This doesn’t make it any easier to understand.

I know the news media is asking if this will see our program shelved but I hope they are wrong.

 

[MichaelL65]

Originally posted by far-trader:
I don't think its cynical as much as realistic, in fact a CNN (I think) anchor was just saying there were pieces on some auctions, though I didn't see any in a quick search on e-Bay (I looked not to buy but to tell e-Bay and check up on CNN), which was quick to kill such similar post 9/11 sales.

I don't think it is in bad taste to sell Columbia memorabilia. In my opinion, e-Bay overreacted to 9/11 by banning all auctions that had anything to do with the WTC (including pre-attack posters, pictures, calendars, etc.).

Banning the sale of pieces of the wreckage is justified. They belong to NASA and are part of an investigation. Banning the sale of memorabilia is overreacting. Fortunately as of a couple hours ago, e-Bay had not stopped those auctions. There were a few listings for pieces of wreckage, but they were already shut down. E-Bay seems to be keeping a watch so far.

 

[Nurd_boy]

Next on Fox (or anyone of the alphabet networks)...

**TERROR AT THE EDGE OF SPACE***
The space shuttle Columbia story

on the 'movie of the week'....

 

[Liam Devlin]

Back in the day, we called it grave robbing..and a crime. F---ing ghouls. . The memorabilia is harmless...the wreckage sellers...ghouls.

but on topic...(composure)
This will slow things down, unless men of vision seize the day, as William did at Pevensey when he stumbled and fell, then rose with two hands full of soil.."I have seized this land with my own hands." to dispell the ill-omened looks of his troops."We go forth to take the rest!"

But the dream cannot die, as long as their are stars, and those who dream. another englishman, hiis men killed, facing the tribesmen of Nepal at sword point was given quarter. He refused.
"I have come too far to run away." So we too, have come to far, to run away.

And the only ones who can kill that dream, are ourselves. each and every one of us, has that choice. I see that in due course, this century will spark great technological changes-spurred by this event, a war on 14th century minded Hashashiin, and petty men with WMD's who think they can make the world crouch down in fear, and the burning desire to succeed over the laughing luddites of "I told you so".

Carpe diem,

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by MichaelL65:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by far-trader:
I don't think its cynical as much as realistic, in fact a CNN (I think) anchor was just saying there were pieces on some auctions, though I didn't see any in a quick search on e-Bay (I looked not to buy but to tell e-Bay and check up on CNN), which was quick to kill such similar post 9/11 sales.

I don't think it is in bad taste to sell Columbia memorabilia. In my opinion, e-Bay overreacted to 9/11 by banning all auctions that had anything to do with the WTC (including pre-attack posters, pictures, calendars, etc.).

Banning the sale of pieces of the wreckage is justified. They belong to NASA and are part of an investigation. Banning the sale of memorabilia is overreacting. Fortunately as of a couple hours ago, e-Bay had not stopped those auctions. There were a few listings for pieces of wreckage, but they were already shut down. E-Bay seems to be keeping a watch so far. </font>[/QUOTE]Just to clarify, I agree. I might have been clearer if instead of "pieces" I had typed "pieces of wreakage". I feel when you snipped the last line of my post for your quote (to make your own point) it put the quote out of context. As I said "I'm sure some of these sales are legitimate, if poorly timed, and no doubt there are some people who desire some token to recall the tragedy in remembrance."

 

[djg_p]

It was 6am local time (GMT +8) Perth Aust when my clock radio alarm went off. I woke to the report of the Shuttle disaster. My first though was, "Oh God."

My second thought was "Death may not have been quick."

.... And here we all are, playing a RPG system that uses these common day individuals of today as pioneers and heros within a game system that we take them all for granted.

What a wakeup call!

Even though we continue to play and live out our fantasy(ies) of what the future could be for us, we are now reminded of how fragile life is no matter what protection or preparation we have.

I call on all Travellers who continue to play, to remember those who have died in this disaster and to remember that these courageous people have indirectly created the game that we all now play.

R.I.P. Columbia ... you have conquered, you have won. Look after the eternal seven people that you continue to now carry.

May the Lord look after them.