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explosion

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/01/2003 : 09:30:07

Heard a loud explosion a few minutes ago...and now understand the shuttle Columbia is not being heard from as it was decending for landing....?????

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - on

pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2003 : 09:34:47

Arlyn,

Where are you?

Are you close to the shuttles glide path?

I'm heading for CNN.

PW

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1774 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2003 : 09:53:44

I got to see the shuttle returning at night once. It flew over San Antonio and made an arcing turn toward the southeast ... it was AWESOME! It looked like a giant glowing meteor.

I was returning from out of town, and I didn't know the shuttle was going to pass overhead. When I drove into my neighborhood, there were people standing out in the streets and in their yards ... I didn't know what was going on. When I saw that thing streaking across the sky, the first thing that hit me was that it was a UFO. I turned on the TV as soon as I got home & found out it was the shuttle.

BTW, before Kelly AFB was closed, the shuttle used to land there for refueling (when it was perched atop a 747) ... now THAT was something to see. It amazed me that a 747 could fly with a space shuttle bolted on top of it!

Buzz Maring, C-25 SK/SR #68, "Freya"
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2003 : 10:10:01

From the video on TV... it's pretty obvious that it broke up on re-entry.

I read that a chunk of insulation that broken off and had impacted a shuttle wing on launch. The engineers had thought the damage was insignificant.

I guess at that point, there wasn't much they could do about it anyway... Perhaps stay at the space station until another shuttle could be sent up. That is 20-20 hindsight though.

From the speed at which the disintegration occurred, we may never know what happened.

A reminder that space travel is still dangerous stuff.

Currently maintaining two holes in the water...'77 Venture 23 and new to the family,
'78 Catalina 25

Edited by - on

FrankV
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2003 : 21:41:35

Very sad times here in Texas. My 7 year old and I were going out to the boat Saturday morning for some sailing and to watch the shuttle fly over. He wanted to sleep late, so I went out our front door at 7:55, faced west and waited. I saw a white dot approach at 8:00, saw the contrail begin and get bigger and bigger. It went by our house slightly south, dropping flasming bits as it went over. It was very bright, and I was suprised at how bright the fireball was. It was very different from the other approaches I have seen, but I just thought it was different atmospheric condtions. Heard three distinct boooms, one rattled the windows in the house. Went inside, and turned on the tv.

Beautful, clear warm day (70's) here in Texas, but there was no way in the world I could go sailing after that.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2003 : 09:09:04

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Very sad times here in Texas... but there was no way in the world I could go sailing after that.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Too bad you had to witness that first hand, Frank... You felt about like I did about going sailing on Saturday, September 15, 2001. The Manhattan skyline is quite visible from our part of Long Island Sound, and some friends disappeared with the towers that are now gone. It took me a few weekends to get back out there.

Next time a helicopter crashes and kills its crew in Afghanistan or somewhere, we should feel just as bad. Those men and women are risking and giving no less, and not getting as many thrills.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 02/02/2003 09:11:48

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bren737
Captain

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291 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2003 : 12:20:20

Frank, et al. . .

Ditto the feelings. . . 70 degrees here in San Antonio, not a cloud in the sky, winds from the south at 8-10, first time I've been able to get to the boat for more than 15 minutes in almost six weeks. I was about half way to the marina when my cell rang and my wife told me about the loss. I pulled over to the side of the road for about five minutes with a knot in my stomach. About ten ski boats and jet skis passed by me on their way to the lake. Just didn't seem too important anymore. Turned around and came home.

Ironically, this mission and its loss seem a bit more personal, as just this past Monday my wife and kids and I toured Johnson Space Center in Houston. We learned all about their mission, saw all of their pictures, watched personal interviews from just before their launch, even watched live video feed of the crew from the shuttle being beamed back to Houston. We even all signed the big "Welcome Home" banner hanging in the visitor's center. My daughter is still crying more than 24 hours later. How can you even begin to explain these things. . .

Amen, Dave about the helicopter in Afghanistan. I tried to explain to my daughter that there are personal losses every minute of every day. Cancer, car crashes, homicides. . . take your pick. I tried to remind her that just as we cannot begin to understand all the tragedies that God seems to "allow to happen inspite of our prayers," every minute of the day there are beautiful sunsets, new births, puppies running in backyards, flowers blooming. . . again, take your pick, which we likewise cannot begin to understand and thank God for, inspite of our not praying for them.

Tough times right now and I'm afraid there will be more tough times in the near future with our troops in harms way. We must keep our lives in focus, thank our Father for our blessings and make the most of the time and people in our lives. . .

Bren Peterson
C250WB, #642, "Ruah"
San Antonio, TX

Edited by - bren737 on 02/02/2003 12:21:57

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 02/04/2003 : 20:52:03

I feel a certain kindred spirit with those souls who sail their ship on a sea of stars.

Just recently on the launch previous to this I took my father who is 81 out to the beach to watch a night launch. That is truely an amazing fireball when I can see it from Jacksonville with my naked eye. Even at this distance it lights up the ocean. When I was young my parents took us to Cape Kennedy to watch a Gemini and an Appolo launch. And my dad used to work there in BC (before children)when unmanned rockets blew up more often than not. Even in the daylight I've watched the launches here from a roof top at work many times. Very sad that these didn't make it back safely.

Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<img src="http://www.members.aol.com:/benraye/pictures/fullsail.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2003 : 19:35:36

Okay, okay enough time has passed since the Columbia disaster, and I'll apologize in advance; what does NASA really stand for?

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John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2003 : 19:42:59

Do you mean their philosophy for existing or what the letters NASA stand for (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)?

John Mason
<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/ali.jpg" border=0>
pronounced "Ali Paroosa"
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - John Mason on 03/04/2003 19:44:29

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2003 : 19:51:46

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Do you mean their philosophy for existing or what the letters NASA stand for (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)?
John Mason
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Sorry I didn't make myself more clear, the letters.

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 03/05/2003 : 20:36:05

Need Another Seven Astronauts <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Just a joke I heard.

Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<img src="http://www.members.aol.com:/benraye/pictures/fullsail.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - ben - fl on 03/05/2003 20:39:03

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2003 : 19:50:49

Thank you Arlyn.

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