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

Back to Columbia Special

Your comments so far:

Last night I watched on C-Span a press conference with the Columbia crew filmed on January 29. I was struck with the joy displayed on all their faces as they answered questions about any "Oh Wow" moments they had experienced during this mission. They were delighted to be doing what they were doing. That knowledge comforts me at this time, and I'm hoping it also comforts their families.

I believe they were the best and the brightest that our society has to offer. They make me proud to be an American, proud to be a member of the human race.

Desde Espaqa, con gran pesar por la terrible pirdida ocurrida, les manifiesto mi mas sentido pisame por el fallecimiento de los siete tripulantes de la nave Columbia, con el convencimiento de que el Pueblo Americano sabra sobreponerse a esta tragedia y re-emprendera pronto su encomiable labor en pro del desarrollo de toda la Humanidad.

Muchas gracias por su labor, y Honor a sus Hiroes fallecidos. Les ruego trasnmitan mi pisame a las Familias de los Tripulantes y mis mejores deseos al Pueblo Americano.

You are in our thoughts and prayers at this time of great sorrow. Let us not forget that they were doing something that they loved to do. We wich that there was some way for us to help relieve your pay. May God Bless You and Keep You All In His Arms.

We are deeply sorry for the loss of 7 brave people who obviously loved what they were doing. At a time like this there isn't much anyone can do to help. Sometimes kind and caring words can help to start the healing. Our thoughts and prayers and hearts are with the nation and especially the families that have suffered this tragic loss. Take care and God bless you all!!

The cost of creating a road into the future frontier of space is so terribly costly, yet as in the days of old these "new frontiersmen courageously step up and continue their march foreward. Thank God for these new frontiersmen and their families who are willing to take the chances and suffer these losses. Our hearts ache for each family member who have paid the highest price today. God knows your pain, where you are and is with you. Our prayers are with you as well. May God be your guiding light as he walks with you through this.

Col Rick Husband, the commander, was my table partner in T-37's at pilot training, UPT class 82-01. He talked about wanting to get into the space program back in pilot training. He was the "real deal"-- hard-working, honest and humble. While I struggled through training, he excelled. The whole class watched the first shuttle launch (Columbia) on a B&W T.V. with foil on the rabbit ears behind the T-38 building on the flightline at Vance AFB in April '81. Sadly ironic that Rick was the commander for its last flight.

What a great guy; I last spoke to him in '89 when he flew photo chase on me in the F-4 at Edwards during some B-1 weapon drop test missions I was flying. After his first shuttle flight in '99, there was a huge poster of the crew and Rick at an exhibit in the children.s' portion of the Grace Museum in Abilene. "He done good" as we say in Texas.

Very sad day, indeed. Please pray for the families of all the crew.

I feel deep regret for the accident and lives lost. I think man was destined to go to space and explore what is there Just like the ancient explorers charting the then unknown surface of the earth. This should not deture us from exploring the unknown.

I was my daughter's age (10), saddened when we lost Grissom, White, and Chaffee. An adult shaken by the Challanger disaster I was appalled that some people could make jokes about the terrible loss of seven heroes. 17 years and 4 days (has it really been that long) later we've lost another crew and another vehicle. Hours after being struck by the terrible news of Columbia and her crew I was off to see and hear my stepson perform with the All Cape Choir. The final song they performed (lyrics below) brought some small bit of healing. My heart goes out to the families of these seven souls including their NASA family.

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE AND WEEP
by Mary Frye 1932

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle Autumn rain.
When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
(additional new lyrics by Wilbur Skeels 1996 not sung at the concert)

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am the song that will never end.
I am the love of family and friend.
I am the child who has come to rest
In the arms of the Father who knows him best.
When you see the sunset fair,
I am the scented evening air.
I am the joy of a task well done.
I am the glow of the setting sun.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Columbia crew. We can pray they are all with God in a much better place. They will all be sadly missed.

Mans greatest achievement has been the strive to discover the undiscovered, to explore the unexplored. NASA and its astronauts in particular do an incredibly brave and couragious job, thats second to none, yet unappreciated by the majority of its country, and the world.

God bless those who've died in the pursuit of this unique, admirable and periless human endeavour... land of the free, home of the brave.

I remember I also had on the television when we lost The Challenger in l986 and now again I was watching TV when The Columbia came down. God bless all the families and give them strength in this time of sorrow. A friend of mine from Italy sent me a note saying America has gone through too much pain already. The whole world and not just America is mourning the loss of the Columbia's crew. Chazak v'amatz. Strength and courage!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the families of the crew of Columbia. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

To the families of the astrounauts, my family sends their deepest sympathies. We all know that they are in God's hands today. We also know that you and your extended families are in his hands. I am old enough to remember the first U.S. mission with a human on board. It was exciting and scary to watch. It was always a relief to see the heroes return to earth safely. When the Apollo 1 tragedy happened, it was a sad day. But NASA responded and made things safer and continued with the space program. After the Challenger tragedy, NASA did it's homework and made sure things were corrected and went forward. After the tragedy yesterday, I know that NASA will find the cause and work towards it never happening again. That is what our country was founded on - the idea of challenging ourselves to go to the next frontier. The human race has benefited so greatly from the efforts of people such as your loved ones, that it will be impossible for us to ever pay you back for what they have done. Let us never forget those 17 astrounauts who have lost their lives for those of us who remain here on earth. May God bless you in the coming weeks and months.