The World Mourns - Your Thoughts on the Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy

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For all of our time on this planet we have gazed heavenward and wondered, and reached with outstretched arms. The seven Astronauts of Columbia are mourned for their brave sacrifice in the name of science and peace. They will not be forgotten, nor will their spirt be tempered. We will go back, we will reach again towards the heavens.

Kimberly Allen

It is so sad to lose these brave and dedicated people so close to the end of a successful mission. Our thoughts are with their families , friends and colleagues at NASA at this difficult time. God bless them all.

My Dear Folks;

I can not say, I know how you feel. Every loss affects each person different. Life does go on, and with God's love and grace he will see you through these dark hour, days, months, and years. May they all rest in peace. God bless all the families.

February 1, a beautiful day

Sixteen more minutes
Before they could land
Unexplained problems
Few could understand.

Temperature sensors had failed on the wing
Left many baffled, it just didn.t ring
Tire pressure loss up on the gear
Much overheating, so much unclear.

People in Texas heard a great boom
So loud as if it were in the next room.
Debris started falling from out of the sky
And suddenly everyone asked themselves why?

David, Kalpana, William
Rick, Laurel, Ilan and Mike
Despite different backgrounds
In essence alike.

For they were all astronauts
Heroes to us
Remember their service
And their story, discuss.

The loss of the seven, quite shocking to all
Yet others will step in to answer their call
Space shuttle travel will once again soar
For the lure of what's out there we cannot ignore.

www.poemstogo.tv Amy Gumley

My scincerest condolences and support to the families in this difficult time. It is because of your loved ones and others like them that I am the physics student that I am today. Without their example and inspiration I surely would have given up in the face of the staggering difficulty of the subject. I know too that I'm not alone - there are dozens of us here who stay in the lab during the nights and weekends while others are out attending parties, and thousands more around the world. We're working because people like the Columbia crew show us what IS possible, and help us believe that we can do the same. For that reason and for many others, space exploration will and must continue.

As so many men and women before them, the astronauts of Columbia have lost their lives pursuing their dreams and traveling the path they thought was right for them, and for others. With them, they carried the dreams of many of us who see the exploration of space as the next shore to be visited by mankind. With time, our tears will dry and we will once again look to the stars for our destiny, and we will always see them there.

God Bless the families of NASA and the Columbia Crew. The world feels your pain, as do I.

February Morn

In honor of The Columbia Crew

Denise

This is a traggic day as we witness the loss of these seven beautiful people that engaged life without fear and looked to the sun and stars for hopes of our dreams. Their life's accomplishments will live forever with the space technology and the future astronauts of the world.

They are heroes and they will be remembered. They will be in our hearts as they have touched our hearts with their courage and love for mankind. May God bless them and their families.

My heart goes to the families of the 7 honorable crew members, god bless them all in this time of mourning.

Seven of the world's best, and brightest.

A history-making mission, with historic firsts.

Then it happens-again.

A flash of light, then flames, contrails and wreckage, as dreams are shattered. and lives lost.

A President again addresses a nation- numb, stunned, and grieving at the suddenness, the fragility, and the violence of tragedy.

But we must keep in mind, that once again, a dream will be resurrected from the ashes, that brave men and women will continue the work of those lost, on Apollo 1, STS-51L, and now the Columbia seven, of mission STS-107. Requiescat en Pax.

The dream is still alive. Nourish it, believe, and keep the faith.

Ad Inexplorata

Please share the following as intended with all whom we share our hearts and souls as one.

SEVEN SPECIAL ANGELS

BY PATSY MCCOSH A MOTHER OF TWO MARINES
DEDICATED TO THE CREW OF COLUMBIA

"May we never allow ourselves to rest upon the laurels of others, but to proceed upon their thoughts and wishes as if there is no tommorrow."

I was driving and heard the tragic news on my car radio, it was all i could do to continue on. My heart goes out to the families of the crew of Columbia. These brave men and women must not die in vain, the space program must go forward. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and with Nasa. May GOD bless them all.

My family and I would like to take this time to say how sorry we are for the families and the world for this loss. We are from Kentucky. I hope nothing like this happens again. Thank you for putting this on here, makes people feel better.

We all, Americans, British and everybody mourne the loss of the shuttle crew as we did with Challenger. Only America can take humanity forward, only you have the wealth to, forward the collanisation of the human race. If it were not for explorers America would never be the place it is today, and they would not have been able to come back across the "Pond" and help to save Europe from imploding on two occasions in the last century..Keep up the good work with this website, because I know only too well about people who wont rock the boat, The crew of Columbia deserved more than some "expert" saying "well the shuttle has been hit but it wont matter". I hope that man sleeps well in his bed.  PLEEEASE.. set up a condolance board for people outside of the US to sign their respect for these 21st Century Pilgrim Fathers and Mothers.. Yours with my deepest condolances and Respect.

T.Peter Clarke.. Corsham Wiltshire, England, UK.. 

As I turned on the tv on Feb 1st ath around the time the last contact was made with Columbia, I thought that it couldn't be true! We are so sorry for the loss of these 7 very accomplished individuals who will be so missed here on earth but as Pres. Bush said, "We can pray that they are home". They died doing what they loved and believed in. What they did was for all mankind and we here in Canada feel your loss America and we stand beside you and with you during this terrible time. May God bless the crew of Columbia and their families and may God bless America!

FIRST I LIKE TO SAY GOD BLESS ALL 7 ASTRONAUTS. TO ME THEY ARE ALL HEREOS. I SPECIFICALLY WOKE UP THAT SATURDAY MORNING TO WATCH THE SPACE SHUTTLE LAND LIKE I DO EVERYTIME A SHUTTLE IS SCHEDULED TO LAND EVEN IF IS 4 O'CLOCK IN THE MOPRNING. WHEN I SAW THAT IT WAS TAKING A LONG TIME TO GET A RESPONSE FROM COLUMBIA AFTER THEY STARTED THEIR DECENT TO EARTH I REALLY KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I SAID TO MYSELF "OH MY GOD" AND IT TOOK LONGER AND LONGER. ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW THE A CLIP OF VIDEO ON CNN OF WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN ASTERIOD OR COMET IN BRIGHT DAY LIGHT I KNEW THAT IT WAS THE SHUTTLE TRYIN TO MAKE IT HOME, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT COULD NOT REACH US. THE REST OF THE DAY I SAT IN FRONT OF MY TELEVISION IN DISBELIEF, SAYIN NO NO NO, NOT AGAIN. I DONT THINK WE WILL EVER REALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY OR HOW IT HAPPENED OR WHY IT HAPPENED. ALL I KNOW IS THAT WE LOST 7 SPECIAL AND DETERMINED PEOPLE WHO WORKED VERY HARD TO BE WHERE THEY WERE AT IN THEIR LIFE AND THEY WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN. I WISH SOMEONE COULD TELL US WHAT REALLY HAPPENED UP THEIR AND WHY. ALL I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE ALL LOVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED. GOD BLESS THE EARTH AND THE FURTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION... THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

I was deeply shocked by the news about the tragedy. I couldn't believe my ears and eyes. I was immediately thinking about the challenger accident 17 years ago. I really hoped what I heard were a mistake or a nightmare that would disappear while I woke up. ...But it was true!

I wanted to tell the world I admire the seven heroes. I wanted to join the families in the mourning for their lost loved ones.

I am working for the the website www.spacechina.com and I have been tracking all the development of the event and disseminate information about the tragedy. I was moved by President Bush's statement. I relayed the content of our president Jiang Zemin's statement soon after the tradedy.

What President Bush said is right. The Heroes did not come back safely to Earth, but I am sure they are safely home.

Was in Dallas visiting. We were deeply saddened by the events that transpired. At the time of the tragedy we were having our morning coffee and heared the sound that shook the house. We ran outside to see if we could see anything but it never dawned on us what had just occurred. Our prayers and sympathy is with the families and extended family at NASA. They were very brave and will not be forgotten.

God Bless them and their families.