Space Shuttle Columbia lost?

Umbran

Mod Squad

Staff member

Supporter

• Feb 1, 2003

• #61

The debris field will be huge. And by huge, I mean possibly hundreds of miles across. You'll be hearing about "debris" a lot.

Let's just hope that folks have the sense to leave the stuff alone. And I hope they prosecute anyone trying to sell the stuff.

 

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Samnell

Explorer

• Feb 1, 2003

• #62

http://www.nasa.gov/

They have a statement up.

 

Ysgarran

Registered User

• Feb 1, 2003

• #63

thatdarncat said:

according to BBC:
<thatdarncat> one of the heat tiles on the fuel tank came off on launch
<thatdarncat> so that in itself wasn't a danger (fuel tank is jetisoned during launch)

I assume this is the insulation people are talking about, that's not too unusual

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Something hit the wing after take off. It could have been insulation (foam) or it could have been ice. The shuttle is traveling pretty fast at that point in time so there might have been more damage to the heat tiles than originally thought.

Damage to those heat tiles or if the damage effected any of the control surfaces could have pretty serious consequences.

Ysgarran.

Works can't describe the way I feel. Three events I will always remember where I was when they happened. Challenger, world trade center and now columbia.

 

cthuluftaghn

First Post

• Feb 1, 2003

• #64

Central Florida news... guy from Texas called in to the news channel. Said he heard what sounded like explosions, and debris started raining around all around him.

Said he was standing in his front yard looking at pieces of aluminum and silicone. News lady asked if he called authorities yet, and he said "no, I called the news first." Dummy! She said she'd let him go so he could call 911.

 

Dragongirl

First Post

• Feb 1, 2003

• #65

It's very sad. I can still remember watching the other shuttle that blew up, even though I was like 5 or 6.

 

T

thatdarncat

Overlord of Chat

• Feb 1, 2003

• #66

From Loonook, in the chat room:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/radar/loop/DS.p19r0/si.kshv.shtml

 

T

thatdarncat

Overlord of Chat

• Feb 1, 2003

• #67

cthuluftaghn said:

Central Florida news... guy from Texas called in to the news channel. Said he heard what sounded like explosions, and debris started raining around all around him.

Said he was standing in his front yard looking at pieces of aluminum and silicone. News lady asked if he called authorities yet, and he said "no, I called the news first." Dummy! She said she'd let him go so he could call 911.

Click to expand...

words fail me

 

T

thatdarncat

Overlord of Chat

• Feb 1, 2003

• #68

eye witness accounts from BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2716541.stm

 

Dragongirl

First Post

• Feb 1, 2003

• #69

Ysgarran said:

Damage to those heat tiles or if the damage effected any of the control surfaces could have pretty serious consequences.

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If that was the case, would there have been anything they could have done differently? I can't think of anything except maybe leave it at the space station and send another shuttle to get the people.

 

ColonelHardisson

What? Me Worry?

• Feb 1, 2003

• #70

Dragongirl said:

If that was the case, would there have been anything they could have done differently? I can't think of anything except maybe leave it at the space station and send another shuttle to get the people.

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The station has a Soyuz module as a kind of "escape pod," so no one would really be stuck. Even if the Soyuz couldn't hold everyone, another could be sent. The shuttle fleet will likely be grounded for years, as it was after Challenger.