[TWIAR] Shuttle Columbia desintegrates on reentry

[Greg Williams]

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/02/01/100/?nc=1

Astronauts Presumed Lost as Columbia Breaks Up Over Texas
 NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 1, 2003--All members of the seven-person crew of space
shuttle Columbia are feared dead after the spacecraft broke up high over
Texas today. Columbia was on its way to what had been considered an
uneventful landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three of the crew
members on the scientific mission were Amateur Radio operators. NASA says
communication was lost around 8 AM Central Time, and unconfirmed reports
indicated that debris has been spotted on the ground in Texas. Aboard was
the first Israeli to fly in space.

ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Rosalie White, K1STO, who's been
closely associated with the Space Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) and
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) programs expressed
shock and sadness over the Columbia disaster. "We sincerely regret this
latest tragedy," she said. "We will be keeping the families of these
astronauts in our minds and hearts." White is ARISS International Secretary
and the primary liaison between ARRL and the ARISS program. No Amateur Radio
gear was aboard the Columbia for this mission.


The STS-107 crew, headed by Commander Rick D. Husband, also included Pilot
William C. McCool and Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, KD5ESI; David M.
Brown, KC5ZTC; Laurel B. Clark, KC5ZSU, Michael P. Anderson, and Payload
Specialist Ilan Ramon--a well-known Israeli Air Force pilot who had waited
two years for a chance to go into space.

Search-and-rescue crews have been deployed in Texas, although little hope
exists that anyone survived the breakup. NASA has warned those on the ground
to stay clear of any debris they might spot. NASA says shuttle debris may be
contaminated with hypergolic fuel, the fumes of which can be fatal if
inhaled. "If you find debris, please do not touch it, and if you have photos
or videos that you think will be helpful, please contact your local police
authorities," NASA said in a statement.

News video from Texas television stations--now being replayed across the
country--apparently shows the Columbia disintegrating as it was
approximately 207,000 feet (39 statute miles) above Earth. NASA said the
first sign of trouble was a loss of radio and data (telemetry) contact with
the shuttle.

A surveillance satellite reportedly detected what's been called a "heat
spike" in space as Columbia approached Earth which could indicate an
explosion aboard Columbia. President George W. Bush has convened a crisis
team that involves members of the military, but it was not believed there
was any terrorist link to the Columbia disaster.

STS-107 was NASA's 144th shuttle mission. Reminiscent of the 1986 Challenger
disaster, which occurred as the spacecraft was going into space, the
Columbia tragedy marked the first time a shuttle had encountered any
problems during re-entry.

The Columbia broke up while traveling 12,500 MPH and a mere 16 minutes from
touchdown in Florida, where the crewmembers' families were awaiting their
arrival back on Earth following a 16-day research mission. Their duty tour
had been described as routine. The Columbia did not visit the International
Space Station while in space. The mission had been subjected to heavy
security, however.

NASA has grounded all of its space shuttles, but there's no word yet that
the Columbia tragedy will affect the current Expedition 7 crew's future
aboard the International Space Station. More information may be available
via the NASA Human Spaceflight Web page.

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Also, MSNBC has free video streams and stories related to this event.

http://www.msnbc.com/m/lv/default.asp?0cv=CA01  - video streams

http://www.msnbc.com/news/857733.asp?0cv=CA01 - story

Greg Williams
k4hsm@lock-net.com

Tis often better to be silent and thought a fool rather than to speak and
remove all doubt.
No trees were destroyed in the sending of this contaminant-free message
We do concede, a significant number of electrons may have been
inconvenienced.