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

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Your comments so far:

It was the early hours here in New Zealand and as I worked my night shift, I watched the breaking news on BBC Television, and my heart and prayers went out to the dear families and colleagues of those dear souls lost on this day. My deepest sympathy and my prayers go out there to you all. God Bless you.

To make our world a better place for our children and grandchildren Columbia's crew new the risks were high, but did their jobs anyway. They will always be remembered.

Today in Flower, Tomorrow scattered by the wind-Such is our blossom life. How can we think its fragrance lasts forever. Farewell Dear Columbia, speed your crew to worlds unknown that they may know life's true meaning. We'll miss you.

I watched the Columbia fly over my town in Australia and marveled never thinking such a tradgety would occur. My heart goes out to the families of the victims and also the citizens of America who are only trying to make this world a better place.

There is not anything a person can say at a time like this, my heart goes out to all the family, and friends of those who were lost in this tragedy. The nation has lost very good and brave people, they will always be remebered. May the families know how much the nation feels there pain and loss.

What happened to the space shuttle was such a tragedy, we mourn for the families of the crew and all those long and devasting days and months ahead of them. May God be with them each and every day and give them the strength that they will need to help them get through this. They will always be in our prayers. May God Bless Them All.

We just can't believe what has happened to space shuttle "Columbia". I myself was in disbelief & asked "how could this have happened?" I am from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada & when I turned on the computer I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Being Canadian & speaking for all Canadians I am so sorry to hear the news. To all the famillies of "Columbia's" astronauts I want to extend our deepest sympathies. We are thinking of you & your loved ones, and all of America & the many people involved in this terrible tragedy. On a final note may god bless the famillies of all affected by this terrible tragedy & may "god bless America" we stand as one! & share the grief. We are thinking of you.

When the Columbia first rose to the heavens back when I was a boy, it was the most beauitiful thing I had ever seen. It still is. The wings of an eagle soaring high above the Earth.

The promise of a better future is what these missions offer the world. It is the reason the brave souls who partake in these flights so gallantly saddle up on this mighty machine.

We owe them the respect of being some of the bravest, and most honorable people in the world.

So, my family and I offer that to them in great amounts. We also offer the family of those brave souls the same respects. They also have "The right stuff.".

To the crew of this final Columbia Mission...Go with God.

I live in Mesa Az. and was just beginning my day when I heard the sad news of the Columbia. My prayers are with the families of the lost crew. Tis true the nation lost 7 brave souls today, but also true Heaven gained 7 heroes today. They knew the risks and accepted them as part of their job. They perished doing what they loved. Can one think of a better way to part from this earth.They will be remembered always. Again my condolences to all who lost one of their loved ones in this tragedy.

Hello, I'm Selwyn Maan from the Netherlands. This loss has touched the world, because these brave people risked their lives for us all. They went ther not just for science. But for solutions for problems in our world. I hope thes bravehearts can make discoveries forever.

I was at a weight watchers' session this morning when our instuctor announced the tragedy. I, like many others, didn't even know about this shuttle mission as my mind has been focused on a pending & senseless war. Of course, this tragedy brought back some terrible memories from the liftoff tragedy 17 years ago since Ellison Onizuka comes from my town(Kona). I stopped watching TV since 9/11 but I have been tuned to NBC all day and night and its almost 1 am Sunday morning as I write this. I am surprised that NASA does not yet have the capabilities to fix broken tile while in space. I also thought that the shuttle would have been retroffitted with another layer of heat proof tiles beneath the outter layers. But I guess this wasn't a major consideration when the shuttle was refurbished 3 years ago. My condolences to all the shuttle familes. Aloha from Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i.

My heart goes out to all the families of the 7 brave ones. I pray that you will find peace with Jesus. Let you find peace that only comes from him. Not the peace the world gives but his peace. I think of the song, Amazing Grace. I was lost but now I am found. The 7 crew members were lost for a short while but they are now safely and securely in the arms of Jesus. No more tears, no more pain, no sorrow. Jesus said I am with you always! May you find comfort and peace in the days that lie ahead. May God be with you all!

Ginny from Georgia. We will say a special prayer for you in our church service today! Amen and Amen!

May God forever bless and keep the crew of Columbia. My condolences and prayers are with the family of the crew. The world mourns their untimely loss and will remember them forever.

What else can I say other than that I am devastated and I am sorry. I feel so deep for the crew and their loved ones. I wish there was something I could do to make this go away. I'm sorry, so sorry. I'm a musician and I wrote a song on Challenger's 15th anniversary to honor them and to deal with my own grief. Today I dedicate that same song to Columbia, and in her name I mourn with you: http://www.datamanos2.com/challenger/the_ride.html

I thought immediately of the Challenger tragedy years ago when I first heard of the 7 lives lost in the Columbia. I listened in disbelief as we were told of the incident. I will keep the families in my numerous thoughts and prayers. And I hope that the families of the astronauts will believe that their loved ones lives were not lost in vain.

It is unfortunate, but a fact, that the human exploration of space has cost lives, and will undoubtedly cost many more before we can truly call ourselves "space travellers". We are lucky that there are those who are prepared to take the risks so that the rest of us might benefit, especially when those benefits are not always obvious to all. The Columbia accident is a setback, but it's not the first and it almost certainly won't be the last. We must continue to support the various space programs around our planet, and resist the calls of those who say it costs too much, or is too dangerous. As long as there are brave and intelligent people prepared to take the risks, we must continue to make it possible for them to do so. Can you imagine in 50 or 100 years time people talking about how humans "used" to be able to go into space?

A poem that I feel is appropriate at this time, which was used in the appropriately named film "The Way To The Stars", although that film was nothing to do with space exploration, is John Pudney's "For Johnny"

Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.

Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.

Graham Knight, in England

It is a terrible tradgedy, my prayers for the families, but I do believe the astronauts would want the world to continue with space exploration and discoveries, i believe the world as well as our nations people understand the risks involved with space flight and that unfortunately those risks may involve lives. Again I am sorry also but truly believe we must continue on, GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR ASTRONAUTS!

We have once again been "passed the baton" and asked to continue to expand the frontier of space. The Crew of Columbia excelled in their job, now others must take it further.

Continuing humanity's reach into space is the only way to truly honour the heroes, not only of Columbia STS107, but Challenger STS51L and Apollo 1 as well.

On behalf of the Central Coast chapter of the National Space Society in Australia.....we mourn the crew of STS107, and loss of Columbia. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the astronauts. Our thoughts are with those who will work tirelessly to determine what happened and ensure it may never happen again.

To the crew of Columbia - rest peacefully.

Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to the family members of the Columbia crew that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and Israel. Rick Husband, William McCool, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon will all be missed. I have thought most of the day about what stories they would have to share about their experience in space and what they might have learned that could have been shared. I would hope that this crew's sacrifice would not be in vain. I am sure they would want the same. Our prayers are with you all.

Bobby and Stacie Shooter

We owe it to these brave people that are risking their lives for all of us to fully fund NASA's manned space program. The years and years of under funding NASA are disgraceful. Our space program needs a national vision and established goals. It needs funding and the support of the country to reach these goals. It also needs leadership at the highest level. For once, can our elected representatives put partisan politics aside for the good of our nation?

Barry Wright

My thoughts and prayers - and those of my family - are with the Columbia crew and thier loved ones.

17 years ago, I grieved for the loss of the Challenger crew and the for their families. Now, as I did then, I felt a sense of bittersweet determination and pride in our achievements - in science, in in technology, and in the human spirit - that kept me focused regardless of my tears.

I grieve for all of the souls involved in this tragedy - for the families of the crew, for the NASA personnel and their families, and for the many American (and international) families that may be feeling the tremendous loss that all of us have felt today.

I ask you to please remember that we were there - and will be there - because we are human. It's this human nature that gives us the drive to strive to push our boundaries of exploration and understanding. It's this drive that enables us to keep on "pushing the envelope" in spite of our setbacks, in spite of our tears, and in spite of the fear and hesitation that comes with our losses - even when those losses have human faces and names.

I salute the spirit of those that were lost today. Let's remember them in a proud, productive, and determined way that reflects our human ability to adapt, to learn, and to expand our horizons.

Go at throttle up.

Toledo, Ohio