Columbia shuttle breaks up over Texas

Seven astronauts aboard space shuttle

Saturday, February 1, 2003 Posted: 10:25 AM EST (1525 GMT)


JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Houston, Texas (CNN) -- The space shuttle Columbia, with seven astronauts aboard, broke up as it descended over central Texas Saturday toward a planned landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Residents as far east as Shreveport, Louisiana, reported seeing and feeling an apparent explosion.

Search-and-rescue teams from the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area were alerted and area residents were urged to stay away from any possible debris from the shuttle, which may be hazardous, said NASA public affairs officer James Hartfield.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/01/shuttle.columbia/index.html

What is there to say? Yet another tragedy in which brave people lost their lives. I remember watching 17 years ago as the space shuttle blew up and how horrified and saddened I was. My heart goes out to the families.

This is so sad. I can't believe it! Things like this make me sick to my stomach.