About the Columbia.

Subject: About the Columbia.
From: Neighmond
Date: 03 Feb 03 - 02:34 AM

The first day of February, in the year two thousand three
Saw a tragic space explosion that touched the heardest heart
Upon returning back to Earth when the mission was complete
A powerfull explosion rent the mighty craft apart.

That's all I have done. I usually write pretty slow.

Chaz

Subject: RE: About the Columbia.
From: Kaleea
Date: 03 Feb 03 - 03:11 AM

When I was very young, my father worked for the Martin company, outside of Denver, and welded on the Gemini & Apollo series rockets. When the workers made a rocket there, they took great pride in their work. "Made in the USA" was cause for great pride in workmanship--a very big deal back then! The Martin company even took photos of Daddy perched atop a huge cylinder in a white lab coat welding. (Pretty funny to me now, cause anybody who knows anything about welding knows that there would be little black holes all over the white lab coat-not his usual work clothes-from the constant sparks!) Daddy was among those chosen to go to Cape Canaveral for any needed work before the rocket went into space. Unfortunately, Daddy was injured while welding inside a rocket, and was in the hospital when the first tragedy happened & we lost 3 valued astronauts. He and the other workers took the loss quite seriously. Years later, when the Challenger did not make it, I understood the years of dedication and hard work it takes to get to the point of blast off-for the shuttle, for the people of NASA, and for the astronauts. We common folks can only imagine what a tragedy occurred Saturday. To be an astronaut is a higher calling, which only few can answer. People have literally given their lives for our space program. The funding needed for our space program to fullfill the missions which our astronauts and many NASA workers & scientists have dedicated their lives & life's work to. Sadly, many of us pay little attention these days to the seemingly "routine" shuttle missions. Perhaps now would be a good time to visit NASA websites, read up on the NASA missions, current & future, & write letters & call politicians to ensure that humankind will continue to explore space, the final frontier. Oh yeah, and since we are a music loving bunch, look in your hymnals and see if the Air Force Hymn is in it & check out the words! Lord, Guard & Guide the Men (& women) Who Fly. hint: 1st vs. is sung quietly, 2nd strongly. Maybe you could add this hymn to your service during our NASA missions!