Shuttle Disaster

[mrre]

May the Crew of the Final Columbia Mission Rest In Peace For All Time!!!!!!!!!!!

[jaedekdee]

yea, poor them...even though i dont know them....oh well....at least they are happy....(i think)...

[KingXII]

well quite a few of them accomplished their dream of being an astronaut

[ZelRiptha]

We celebrate the brave few who put their lives at risk for the spirit of exploration and discovery, and mourn those whose adventures end in tragedy. But let us not let their loss diminish our desire to continue to explore and learn, as it is that same passion that has always expanded the frontiers of humanity, and has made it possible for us to leave the physical confines of our small planet, if only for a short time.

*salute*

[Arcuivie]

Bah, it was Nasa's budget slashing that doomed them. If they would have invested more money into safety and such, they could have prevented the disaster! I mean they even KNEW the damn thing would not make it back, and they didn't make an attempt to create another shuttle and such and get them outta there; while the crew docked at the space station! Damnit, money isn't that damn important.

R.I.P. heros!!

[ollieb444]

yes, i will have to agree with that

[KingXII]

i believe all four space shuttle cost the united states billions of dollars to design and build and the testing before that. Designing a better shuttle was important but our current technology would not have designed anything significantly better than the ones we have.

[ZiPO]

Hey! I'm new here in the forum...
I'm from Israel, and I just wanted to say my opinion on this subject. So, First of all, may the crew of Columbia R.I.P!
Second, I would like to say that in my opinion, the media here in Israel made this mission more than it was... It's been in the front page for like 2 months, on the evening news evey day, on the radio, talking about Ilan Ramon being "the first israeli astronaut" and all that... I mean, in America, it didn't get the same attention as it got in Israel... Why is that? Even after the Columbia exploded, in the news they said like "The Columbia exploded... in it was the first israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon..."
I understand the pride and all that, but i think the news coverage was too much...
Is there anyone who has the same opinion? Or maybe someone who can try and explain me why that mission got so much attention...

ZiPO

[jeaniesing]

Perhaps the news coverage has been 'too much' for some people.... In the U.S. we're spoiled in that we demande and get information... I think that the news coverage has been no more than the usual for a mishap of this magnitude. I was around for the first space shuttle accident.... the difference between this and that accident? 1n '85 (??) the world climate did not have US Citizens worried about instances of terrorism in their back yards, furthermore the terrorists mentioned have specifically targeted people of the Jewish faith. Perhaps you didn't hear until after the event, but my parents-in-law couldn't go to their usual spot to watch this launch because the area of security had been increased. It wasn't just the launch of this shuttle, all high-profile events are suspect as a terrorist opportunity.

The worst part? This is new to us... I know that in Israel you've lived with this reality your entire life. I am so very sorry for that. The security around every event here is covered in the news for days. When the shuttle disintegrated, every mind in the US wondered if there had been a terrorist action... the government and media have spent the tme since covering every detail if only to assuage these fears.

[ZiPO]

Unfortunately, it is true that here in Israel we've been living with terror attacks all of our lives, but something inside me tells me that we somehow, because of the overrated news coverage, helped that mission to fail... like an "evil-eye"...
I know it might sounds awful of me to say that, because I'm from Israel and should be supporting, but I just feel this way...
Also, I'm not orthodox or something near it, but could it be that what everyone are saying, that jews are not allowed to get near the sky because it's like "we're getting close to god", might be true? Also, I've been told that there was a jew (not israeli) on the Challenger, and because of that, it exploded too... True or False?

ZiPO

[Anthony25508]

Our prayers our eith them*

[jeaniesing]

False False False False...... God protects his lambs...... God even protects those who stray from his flock and cause some of the horrors..... We, God's children, know that we are taking risks just to enjoy existing in the universe he created for us..... The shuttle was an accident, that's all.... We... no, They took a risk for the furtherment of knowledge and there was an accident. If I was asked to board a space shuttle tomorrow I would do so in a heartbeat... the risk would be worth it to me too - and I'm no hero.

Sorry to preach guys...... I should save my sermons for Sunday, eh?

BTW.... though a Episcopalian/Methodist by practice, I have a firm belief that by any name - there is a higher power... call it what you will, but preserve the tenets of giving, love, and acceptance within your faith.

[ZiPO]

I should say that you sound like a very thoughful person...
But, correct me if I'm wrong, when you say that god even protects those who do the terror attacks, you actually mean that we are sentenced to have those attacks? because it sounds like god sent those terrorists, doesn't it?

ZiPO

[KingXII]

let me state that it is very hard to find things about religions because the only things talking about it is ussually the bible, the koran etc. Nothing else. Using religion is absurd because everyone has different beliefs and jeanie and zipo, you two can keep arguing till the end of time and nothing would come from it. There is cold hard information to go with it. I'm not saying that everyone should not believe what they believe in but just having some holy books to convince someone that this is what happened.

[ZiPO]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing... I'm listening to other people's opinions... and it's quite interesting I have to say...
In general, my question was whether too much of news coverage about the mission and particularly about Ilan Ramon, caused the mission to fail, as if the overrated coverage cursed the mission with an evil-eye... do you understand what I'm saying?

ZiPO

[jeaniesing]

I'm not arguing either.... I am enjoying the line of conversation.... King, I'll agree a thousand times that the Bible (the Holy book I am most familiar with) was written by human beings, not some divine force. Within its covers you will find contradictions, paradoxes and unintelligible drivel... that won't stop me from believing in what I believe.

Originally posted by ZiPO
....god sent those terrorists, doesn't it?
ZiPO Not quite what I meant..... More that - while the act is unforgivable, the person is not. People are fallible, if we were to be sinless creatures would we not have been created that way? I KNOW this opens HUGE avenues of debate.... not my point... only that we are still an evolving race..... Perhaps some day every parent will teach their child acceptance and peace. I suppose we will keep evolving until then.

Speaking of...... Evolution..... one part of the Bible which I take as figurative rather than literal..... a self-centric race capable of recording history interpereting the beginning of its existance while looking through a very small window and unable to see a bigger picture.

Perhaps I ought to split this thread off since I seem to be leaving the memoriam (the point of its intent), and jumping off on a tangent..... eh, we all have philosophical days!

[ZiPO]

Hey, guess you're right...
Well, we could be talking hours and hours, days and days, about this subject... So, as this topic was originally about the Shuttle Disaster, let me finish by saying:

May the Crew of the Final Columbia Mission Rest In Peace