Space Exploration (& old Shuttle emergency) Thread

[skittles]

Hello, kittens... as I type this there is a shuttle emergency.. with search & rescue teams.. right now..



We have all dealt with emergency situations in one way or another.. Let's use this thread to talk about how this & other emergencies have affected us..



All I can say is... not again..



ETA, from the cnn site:



NASA lost communication with space shuttle Columbia shortly before its scheduled landing on Saturday. It was unclear whether there were any other problems.



Mission Control reported no communication with the shuttle after 9 a.m. EST.



The shuttle was carrying the first Israeli astronaut and six Americans, and authorities had feared it would be a terrorist target.



Fifteen minutes after the expected landing time, and with no word from the shuttle, NASA announced that search and rescue teams were being mobilized in Dallas and Fort Worth areas.



NASA, while not saying the shuttle had exploded, broken up or crashed, warned that any debris found in the area should be avoided and could be hazardous.



Inside Mission Control, flight controller hovered in front of their computers, staring at the screens. The wives, husbands and children of the astronauts who had been waiting at the landing strip were gathered together by NASA and taken to separate place.



Columbia was at an altitude of 200,700 feet over north-central Texas at a 9 a.m., traveling at 12,500 mph when mission control lost contact and tracking data.



Reporters at the landing strip were ordered away 7 minutes after the scheduled touchdown with still no sign of the shuttle.

skittles



"These woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep."

-- Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Edited by: skittles at: 1/4/04 2:11 pm

[kukalaka]

I was watching sports when they interrupted for a news special (which always is a bad thing) and I immediately thought "Iraq". Not that this is any better



And, not again, that's exactly what I thought.



Let's hope it doesn't get worse when the debris come down.

[tkheaven]

I was IMing with a coworker how the shuttle lost communication. I think he already fearing the worst. A few minutes later he calls saying that it blew up. and the thought crossed both our minds, yep...'Not Again...' and thinking back to the TV and news showing The Challenger separating into pieces shortly after liftoff.....

I think may would agree that the biggest state of emergency would be 9/11.. I don't even want to think back on that right now..

*tk stops and clicks 'Add Reply' from her workplace in Brooklyn, NY

Tk's new and improved "GrrArgg"...

---

"I've become really protective of her. I want to make sure if Tara comes back, it's for good reason." -Amber Benson
Tara ate her, devoured her from beneath. -The Edge of Silence giving new meaning to this season's catch phrase.
"Don't get me wrong. I kinda like being the quirky nympho chick." - Michelle in 'American Pie 3'

[Little M]

I was watching memorial for a disaster that happened here 50 years ago when I heard it.



It's so sad



I heard that people in Texas and Louisana cannot inhale the debris cos it will kill them within days or something!!!!!!!

------------------

'I go online sometimes, but everyone's spelling is really bad..it's depressing' - Tara



Amber Online www.amberbenson-online.cjb.net

[oneyedchicklet]

Of course there were rumors of a terrorist attack. They have been unfounded. Why is it whenever something like this happens, right away people assume a terrorist attack. The same thing started with TWA Flight 800.



I was visiting my aunts in Florida when Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff. We always went in the yard whenever something was lifting off and we saw the Challenger just break apart. Something I'll never forget. It sits in my mind along with 9/11.



May God Bless the crew and families of Columbia.



Love to All,

Barb

outside the streets on fire in a real death waltz, between whats flesh and whats fantasy. man, the poets down here don't write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be.

[BBOvenGuy]

I really need to stop using my TV set as an alarm clock. This makes three catastrophies that have been the first things to greet me in the morning. First Oklahoma City, then 9/11, and now this.

"If you are going to give a new message to the world, you will do so without being conscious of it yourself. If you set out to do it consciously, you will fail because you will be trying to pose; and the man who poses is insincere." - Charles V. Stanford

[Kalita]

They are saying not to approach any pieces of debris, as they may have toxic chemicals. How fast those toxins work, I can't say, but I doubt it's anything too fast.



This brought me right back to Challenger, 17 years ago. I heard about that one when I came home from school; I could never look at space exploration the same way again.



In those 17 years, though, they've done so much with great success, I can't help but feel for them now. My sympathies to the astronauts' families, loved ones and colleagues; this will be very hard on them all.

"...you can make those two characters as dewey-eyed in love and it would never be too much."

-Chris Golden, on W/T

[kukalaka]

You know what I just realized?



I'm going to a friend's birthday this evening and guess what our gift is?



A model kit of a space shuttle.



Irony is kind of ironic that way

[scifiacid]

My sisters boyfriend is from Nagadocious (well tiny town in the county). He's still trying to get in touch with is family that lives there. God this is aweful. I remember when the Challenger expoloded as well.

"Oh, man. I wish I WAS a lesbian. I would get laid every night for the rest of my life." ~ Amber Benson, Lovelines When we realized that neither of us was faultless, yet love still held. That's the miracle of love, that someone knows us well enough to know the ways we fail and are weak, and yet loves us still. Lost Daughters by JM Redmann

[skittles]

kukalaka, yes, that is a little spooky/weird/ironic about your gift for the party..



But it would be a nice present... I know that I would like it.. 'cause I used to have one!! (nerd that I am & always will be)



ETA: scifiacid, that's where a lot of the shuttle debris has landed... hope they are ok...

skittles



"These woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep."

-- Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Edited by: skittles  at: 2/1/03 9:14:03 am

[scifiacid]

Well, he just heard from his sister and apparently the blast was so severe that it blew all the walnuts and leafs off their walnut trees. Damn. But all seem to be okay. I think they need to be worried about hazardous materials now.

"Oh, man. I wish I WAS a lesbian. I would get laid every night for the rest of my life." ~ Amber Benson, Lovelines When we realized that neither of us was faultless, yet love still held. That's the miracle of love, that someone knows us well enough to know the ways we fail and are weak, and yet loves us still. Lost Daughters by JM Redmann

[Nix42]

This is awful terrible news, and as with all disasters puts the little problems in my life into persepective. My thoughts are with the families.

"Is there any particular area you'd like us to go for? We can aim anywhere..."

"...Well, in that case...just above the top of my head might be a good spot..."

Blackadder addressing his firing squad

[tiyodragon]

Hello kitties,



I live in Dallas and am watching fighter planes all over the area. We think they are re-routing commercial flights out of the debris path. I am very familiar with all the towns they are speaking about, I've lived in or near a number of them. Me and my roomie sat shocked gaping at the tv, and then went outside and watched the fighters overhead.



They will no doubt try to find pieces from the air, but most of the pieces will probably be too small. East Texas is forested, so unless it created a destructive trail of some sort, I doubt many will be found.



Be aware, they will be interviewing rednecks! Cover your ears!



Linda

‘My girlfriend is a goddess,’ Willow thought again. ‘She is so gonna’ kick his ass.’ She almost smiled as she heard a song in her mind. ‘My girlfriend’s back and you’re gonna’ be in trouble…" Willow cleared her throat and looked around the room. ‘Okay,’ she thought. ‘I have lost it. -Tears of the Goddess by Lisa Countryman

[EffieBlue]

Hi,



Just saw this on the news and my thoughts go out to all the families involved.



I hope too that everyone at ground level is safe too.



JIll

Edited by: EffieBlue at: 2/1/03 9:38:17 am

[Kieli]

I live in Texas too and I've been getting frantic calls from my parents and relatives since early this morning. I don't even know what to think but I'm leaning more towards "This is no accident.." If I were a praying girl, I'd probably be in church right now. Since I'm not, I'll just settle for keeping all the astronauts' families in my thoughts. Never thought that I would live in a state where so much goes wrong in such a short time. The Challenger accident wrecked me beyond belief. I was a Senior in high school and watched the explosion while eating lunch. Quite suddenly my appetite was completely gone.



Those people have more courage and bravery than we could ever know. Cheers to them



Toni

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Secret Senses"

[jixer]

Hello Kittens-



I'm a praying boy, so I will. We need for the earth and the stars for our future, and the courage of those who are doing their best for that future is a beacon even now.





I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never Lark, or even Eagle flew -

And while with silent lifting mind, I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.



- John Gillespie Magee, Jr, 1922-1944



Thanks for being here Kittens,



Jixer

[Rosenberg]

I didn’t have the TV or the radio on this morning, so I didn’t know anything about it until my sister called a few minutes and told me to turn the TV on. The first thing that crossed my mind was, “terrorist attack.” I guess that’s the first thing a lot of us think nowadays when some type of disaster occurs. I hope that’s not what it was; I would prefer it to be a horrible, unavoidable accident. Not that that is a positive situation, but it is preferable to the alternative. I also thought of the Challenger exploding at this time of the year back in the 80’s and what a sobering experience that was. Oddly, I was just thinking earlier this week that space travel has become so mundane and routine that I couldn’t even tell you if there was a crew working is space at the present moment or not. I think a lot of us have become blasé about the whole space travel experience anymore and it has lost its sense of adventure and uniqueness. I would think this tragedy would bring back home the idea that nothing is routine or safe or to be taken for granted. My heart goes out to all the family and friends of those who have been touched by this terrible event.

[Evercat]

On the issue of terrorism, it seems an unlikely possibility - at the speed and height of the shuttle, shooting it down would have been nearly impossible. That leaves sabotage when the shuttle was on the ground - but security would have been extremely tight.

Far more likely this was just a terrible accident.

--
10^57 varieties

[Mrs Vertigo]

Oh gosh, poor things. Bummer is that the first ever israeli astronaut was on that shuttle. That was a big shock here.

On Buffy, Season 7: ”Bored now…”

Edited by: Mrs Vertigo at: 2/1/03 12:26:54 pm

[VampNo12]

What a horrible tragedy, my thoughts are with the astronaut's families (as well as everyone this tragedy has directly or indirectly affected). This too brings me back to the Challenger accident, which I remember hearing the sobering news after coming home from school. And now this horrible news, it really does put one's life in perspective (not to take anything for granted).

[Medic4]

I live in Central Texas and woke up this morning when I heard the sonic boom. It wasn't unusual, since the shuttles always fly over us, but today was different. It just didn't sound right.



How long do you guys think it'll be before debris ends up on ebay? We're seeing people already out scavenging for debris.



My prayers go out to the families of the astronauts. God bless their souls.

Edited by: Medic4 at: 2/1/03 2:22:30 pm

[Jennifer]

Jixer I love that poem, it was my grandfather's favorite. This is so terrible, it broke my heart.

"Call me Boo Boo Kitty Fuck...Bitch!" Justice (Shannon Elizabeth)

~*~*~*~*~

My Journal

[tommo]

There was a test pilot for the RAF on the shuttle too; Rick Husband.



It's a sad day, not just for the US, but for everyone. I watched the news breaking this afternoon and honestly, I was taken aback. The news reports have just commented on what a bad time it is for this to happen. And yet nobody seems to know what caused it. And it's 17 years almost to the day that Challenger exploded.



You know there are still astronauts on the space station. They now have to return in an escape pod, or so I'm led to believe.



All we can do is offer up prayers or whatever kind of solace we can, I suppose. Bad day.

It's in your eyes, I can tell what you're thinking; my heart is sinking too...It's no surprise, I've been watching you lately; I want to make it with you...

[BBOvenGuy]

Quote:

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it's 17 years almost to the day that Challenger exploded.

---

And 36 years almost to the day that the first Apollo crew was killed during a training accident on the launch pad. I'm beginning to think NASA should just take this week off in the future.



I've pretty much been staring at CNN in shock all day. I've been an avid follower of the space program since I was four years old. This has been hitting me pretty hard.

"If you are going to give a new message to the world, you will do so without being conscious of it yourself. If you set out to do it consciously, you will fail because you will be trying to pose; and the man who poses is insincere." - Charles V. Stanford

[Kalita]

Medic4 asked:

Quote:

---

How long do you guys think it'll be before debris ends up on ebay?

---

Not too likely - from nasa.gov:

Quote:

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All debris is United States Government property... Unauthorized persons found in possession of accident debris will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

---

"...you can make those two characters as dewey-eyed in love and it would never be too much."

-Chris Golden, on W/T

[Dave V]

I remember the Challenger disaster- I was late for a class because I was glued to the television.



My thoughts go out to the families of the deceased and to all those who knew them.



The U.S, President, Mr. Bush, said that the space program would continue. I can think of no better way to honour those lost.

[Kieli]

Since Rick Husband is also one of Amarillo's own (where I live now), I figured I'd post his biography:



www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htm...sband.html

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Secret Senses"

[tommo]

Thanks kieli. Interesting stuff.

It's in your eyes, I can tell what you're thinking; my heart is sinking too...It's no surprise, I've been watching you lately; I want to make it with you...

[AmberEyedDragon]

It was a horrible thing that happened. It seems that all we can do is send our good thoughts, or prayers if we have them, to those who need it. You could see the pain on the faces of those who were waiting for them to come home. You can only imagine the pain of the family members we dont see. You need to hope that their privacy and pain is respected.



And you need to believe that in the end, some good can be found, somehow.

~Sara~ Self Proclaimed Wonderbra Girl o' D00m

We don't need their shallow popularity; we'll build our palaces in the dark and beautiful places they forgot to look.



"Giles! I made them laugh, did you hear? I did....the joke thing"

[Little M]

There were pieces of debris on Ebay just two hours after it had happened!!!!!!!!!!!



That's just sick

------------------

'I go online sometimes, but everyone's spelling is really bad..it's depressing' - Tara



Amber Online www.amberbenson-online.cjb.net