Bad News! Shuttle Columbia breaks up over Texas

Coublacka · Post by **Coublacka** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:20 pm

Seven astronauts aboard space shuttle

Houston, Texas (CNN) -- The space shuttle Columbia, with seven astronauts aboard, broke up as it descended over central Texas Saturday toward a planned landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Search-and-rescue teams from the Dallas-Fort Worth area were alerted and area residents were urged to stay away from any possible debris from the shuttle, which may be hazardous, said NASA public affairs officer James Hartfield.

The Bush administration was preparing to convene a "domestic event" conference among all domestic and military agencies that may be involved in the next step.

An administration official said the shuttle's altitude -- over 200,000 feet -- made it "highly unlikely" that the shuttle fell victim to a terrorist act.

NASA officials said they last had contact with the shuttle about 9 a.m. EST, and it had been expected to touch down at about 9:16 a.m. EST.

Video of the shuttle tracking over Dallas showed multiple vapor trails, but NASA spokesman Kyle Herring said it was too early to determine the source.

Steve Petrovich, a police officer in Palestine, Texas, said he heard "a rumble and boom" at about 8 a.m. CDT (9 a.m. EST).

Jim Hubbs of New Boston, Texas, said he heard police discussing over a police scanner "a smoking object going southeast" that disappeared in the Bowie County area near the Arkansas state line.

Officials said no tracking data were available.

Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon, was among the seven-person crew. There was no official reaction from the Israeli government, but a Defense Ministry spokeswoman said, "Like everyone else, we are feeling terrible, hoping the slightest hope that still remains at this stage will become a reality."

Columbia is the oldest of NASA's shuttle fleet, first launched in 1981. It was on its 28th mission.

Post by **Surgeon** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 2:13 am

Yeah I saw this - what a nightmare..........NASA's first reentry loss since Space Travel started.......

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 4:27 am

Yeah, real sad.

7th Es Cyborg · Post by **7th Es Cyborg** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 4:55 am

they should have replaced the shuttles when the first one blew, these things are over 25 years old!! It's a shame people have to lose their lives before someone says there needs to be a change.

Post by **jv_map** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 6:47 am

Yeah

Coublacka · Post by **Coublacka** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:41 am

7th Es Cyborg wrote:they should have replaced the shuttles when the first one blew, these things are over 25 years old!! It's a shame people have to lose their lives before someone says there needs to be a change.

They probably should have but they wernt in the worst shape, plus they cost around 100 million $. I dont think they have the $ to make another, although Bush is giving them some money, so they probably will now.

Innkeeper · Post by **Innkeeper** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:58 am

Now we hear that it started to break up over California.

Coublacka · Post by **Coublacka** » Thu Feb 06, 2003 12:24 am

Ya i saw that to, its crazy. I guess that means it broke up before it entered the atmosphere.