# We've Just Lost a Shuttle! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097 "2003-02-01T14:41:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/61 "2003-02-01T15:40:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alexandria2000 \* > **There was an Israeli Astronaut on board, yes. He was carrying a miniature Torah created by a holocaust survivor from his home country.** Damn, that’s just so _sad_. :(☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/62 "2003-02-01T15:41:10Z")
Ramon took with him a bunch of things, including a picture drawn by a 14-yeat-old who died at Auschwitz. A BBC story from a couple of days ago: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle\_east/2664247.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2664247.stm) Dammit, it just gets sadder. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/63 "2003-02-01T15:41:12Z")
Any news as to where the main ‘comet’ is now? Or did it completely burn out? ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/64 "2003-02-01T15:41:47Z")
☹ Horrible… ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/65 "2003-02-01T15:42:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mehitabel \* > \*\*Only fifteen minutes from landing. At least there seems to have been no warning–these poor folks never knew what was happening. \*\* Judging from the video footage, and the reports on what the crew went through after the Challenger explosion, I wish I could agree with you, but I can’t. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/66 "2003-02-01T15:43:30Z")
The _Columbia_’s [first landing at Edwards.](http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/STS-1/Small/EC81-15104.jpg) April 14, 1981. I remember watching this landing in utter amazement. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed _anything_ that has held me in such awe in my entire 46 years on this earth. Tiny fighter jets flying by her side as she glided in to finally touchdown softly on the hard desert floor. It was perfect and she was beautiful. I was floating for weeks after that, feeling anything was possible. God, this make me so sad. Those people. Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/67 "2003-02-01T15:44:32Z")
CNN a few minutes ago was also conjecturing on the possibility of survivors, but at 12,500 mph there would be no chance. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stranger\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@The\_Stranger\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stranger_1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/68 "2003-02-01T15:46:48Z")
not again… not again. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/69 "2003-02-01T15:46:54Z")
> [@](#): > > CNN a few minutes ago was also conjecturing on the possibility of survivors, but at 12,500 mph there would be no chance. ☹ Sadly, this is true. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/70 "2003-02-01T15:46:54Z")
I am not inclined to favor terrorists as an explanation. Given the speed and altitude, WE would have trouble shooting down a Space Shuttle, without the use of interceptor aircraft. I refuse to believe that a gaggle of Arabs out in the Texas scrubland with a black market SAM setup could manage it. I am reluctant to consider sabotage. If an American astronaut could be a Muslim fundamentalist wacko without his NASA handlers realizing it… then ANYONE could be, and we’re all doomed. Nope. Can’t buy that. ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/71 "2003-02-01T15:49:26Z")
My brother woke me up at the beginning of the hour (9:0something…) and told me, “the shuttle just blew up and we’re about to bomb Iraq.” I goes to the game room to turn on a TV, and for once he’s not BSing me. Turns out what he meant by the second part was the deadline to bomb Iraq has/is about to run out. But still, the shuttle blew up. Over freakin’ Texas. A lotta people stop by Texas to die, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/72 "2003-02-01T15:50:38Z")
**Brutus** : Aye, I’ve since heard (on CNN) about the hydrazine, and a description thereof. It’s the radioactive bit that puzzled and alarmed me. Of course, she heard it on FOX news, and I’m given to understand they’re, oh, less than 100% accurate, at any given time. Of course, it _is_ possible. I was just wondering if she might have misheard or misunderstood. [sub]I’d like “whom it may concern” to know this is **not** the way I like to wake up after a whopping two hours of sleep, thank you. We’re thinking of all those friends and family members right now… damn.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/73 "2003-02-01T15:52:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*_“Like a pillar of cloud > The smoke lingers high in the air > In fascination > With the eyes of the world > We stare…”_ > > **RUSH** - [_Countdown_](http://www.lyricscafe.com/r/rush/057.htm) > > Somehow, it seemed appropriate to play this song that praises the magic and technology of the Shuttle. Just thought I’d share the lyrics. ☹ \*\* Odd coincidence. Once of my first thoughts was to the voice-over of transmissions from Columbia at the end of _Countdown_. ☹ I don’t know if I shall ever be able to listen to that song again. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/74 "2003-02-01T15:54:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wang-Ka \* > \*\*I am not inclined to favor terrorists as an explanation. > > Given the speed and altitude, WE would have trouble shooting down a Space Shuttle, without the use of interceptor aircraft. I refuse to believe that a gaggle of Arabs out in the Texas scrubland with a black market SAM setup could manage it. > > I am reluctant to consider sabotage. If an American astronaut could be a Muslim fundamentalist wacko without his NASA handlers realizing it… then ANYONE could be, and we’re all doomed. > > \*\* I’d be pretty f\*cking amazed if it was a terroist target.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![kefka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@kefka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kefka)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/75 "2003-02-01T15:55:16Z")
couple of things, that’s i’ve had up for me, so to cleared some stuff up… there’s no way that a surface to air missile hit it… a sam has a range of 10-15,000 feet. the flight was flying at 207,000 feet and mach 6(six times the speed of sound). if, god forbid, this was terrorist related(which i would bet the mortgage it’s not), the bomb would have to be onboard, which with the kind of security that surrounded this flight, wasn’t going to happen. my money is that the plane just flew apart… it’s a tragedy, but not terrorism also, skeezix, you’re spot on in regards to hydrazine. it’s not radioactive, however if inhaled, if it covers a single membrane in one’s lungs, you will suffocate and die within 48 hours… that’s why they’re telling people not to go near it. it’s not a scare tactic… time to break out the rosary. ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/76 "2003-02-01T15:55:26Z")
I’m not in _complete_ shock. I’m not mourning. I’m overall… empty. I’m a little shaken, and impatient. That’s it. **Coldfire** can damn me vehemently to hell all he wants, but that’s how I fell. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tom\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_P)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/77 "2003-02-01T15:55:45Z")
Just heard the news. This is so sad. My thoughts are with the family of the astronauts ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ForgottenLore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@ForgottenLore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForgottenLore)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/78 "2003-02-01T15:56:41Z")
I just saw this on the news. I feel just sick about it. I was sixteen when the Challenger exploded, and I’m thinking the same thing now that I was then: I hope this isn’t it for the space program. ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/79 "2003-02-01T15:56:52Z")
My grandmother said that something has fallen in her yard. She’s south of DFW. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097/80 "2003-02-01T15:57:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blackeyes \* > \*\*I’m not in _complete_ shock. I’m not mourning. I’m overall… empty. I’m a little shaken, and impatient. That’s it. > > **Coldfire** can damn me vehemently to hell all he wants, but that’s how I fell. \*\* If you can’t say something nice, don’t post at all. Have some heart, for crying out loud. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-just-lost-a-shuttle/152097.md?page=5)