Space Shuttle Columbia.

[kyrielle]

The Columbia has apparently broken up on re-entry. Causes unknown yet, but it did have insulation on the external fuel tank come off and possibly hit the wing on takeoff, so perhaps that's involved. It hurts to think about it, the loss of lives, the loss of good men and women. It hurts to think about the fear that might build behind it - don't let this scare us off space. Don't let this make us give up or fall back again. And already the politics and fears of terrorism spark up.

There's an entry in the Blog of the Moderate Left which says, in part, regarding the charge of "American Arrogance" causing this:

So call us arrogant for building the space shuttle. Call the men and woman who gave their lives today arrogant for believing they could fly to space and return to tell about it. But don't call us wrong. For this arrogance defines humanity. And I would rather our species be arrogant than afraid.

The whole entry's well worth reading. As is the text at Instapundit that linked me to it. And a BBC news article. And an article at Yahoo (from the AP) about it as well that has some more details (not many, there aren't many yet).

I'm sure there's tons more out there, but I find I don't want to go searching yet. It's so early, all there will be are questions and sadness. I have enough of each.

I am sorry and I am proud and I hurt. And I have not the words I want for this. So many links, but I have so few words of my own right now.

Comments

[canyoncat.livejournal.com]

I'm devasted! I remember Challenger... I remember reading the tributes done just a few days ago on the 17th anniversary at NASA installations everywhere, including the space station and on board Columbia. It brought a tear to my eye then, and now this... with everything else that is going on...

[kyrielle]

Yes. I remember Challenger too - I was a fifth-grader with dreams of going into space and an utter fascination with astronomy. I thought it was so cool that they got to send their teacher.

And then I thought it sucked so badly, that that should be the "reward" for being such bright and shining people, of such courage and hope. It hurt - and this hurts in the very same way.

I think it's a little better this time, in that we've learned from the Challenger. I dare to hope it won't stop us for as long, impact us as hard.

The failures are few, compared to the successes. But they're devastating when they happen.

Re:

[canyoncat.livejournal.com]

I hope they don't ground the fleet for too long, like they did after Challenger... there is too much work to be done.