Space Shuttle Exploded during Reentry!

[tonitits]

The space shuttle was due to land in Florida this morning. On reentry something went wrong and there was an explosion and it decentigrated, it happened somewhere near here. There were reporters filming the reentry and got footage. There was debris falling, some of it here in Mesquite. My aunt heard the boom and went outside and saw some of the debris falling. And then it caught fire and now what pieces are left they think probably fell somewhere in East Tx. It was a huge boom and my house shook. But I did not know what it was until my aunt called and told me. She told me to turn on the tv. They are discussing it on CNN and our local stations. It was felt for miles. My aunt talked to her son in law and he was 300 miles away. They are supposed to have found some debris in Ok. They are sending search and recovery team to try to find debris. They are advising people if they find any of it not touch it!

 

[Arden]

Oh no, not again... how horibly sad for the families. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[islander01]

ditto,
to shocked to write more

 

[tonitits]

They just said that NASA has confirmed that they found some debris in North Central Texas, they are not saying where or what county, but NASA is due to give a news conference report in about 30 mins. The last communication with the shuttle was over TX. at 8am and as I said earlier some of our reporters were filming the shuttle reentry and when the fire broke out and pieces of the shuttle broke up is the time that they lost communication. Bush is saying that there is no information relating it to terrorism, but they have said that there is no way that a missle could have hit it, they cannot go 200,000 feet. So at this point the investigation they are checking all film data that they have and try to figure out what happened.

 

[tonitits]

Some debris has been found in Nacogdoches, Tx. The fire chief found a half moon shape about 5 ft piece and found several other pieces. They have found 30-40 pieces. They are still spotting debris all over the county. They are securing the area and telling everyone to stay away from it. Some of it is in people's yards. One piece has definitely burn marks like if you take a blow torch to it. It is aluminum piece and evidence of burn marks, but not melting. There was a report that one piece hit the Commercial Bank in downtown. Noone has been reported as hurt. Said that one man touched a piece and he was advised to go get checked out due to toxicity that he might have come in contact with. I think that they are going to be giving the news conference in a few minutes. They are getting reports of debris all the way to Dallas Co. all the way east to Nacogdoches. They heard the explosion and thought that a train had exploded. I am going to see if they have the news conference and will update, but then I will need to get some sleep. I am very tired.

 

[tonitits]

Ok Update! They just came on and said that they have rescheduled the NASA news conference for some time this afternoon, IF it happens. Pres. Bush is supposed to be going back to the White House from Camp David and being updated and he is supposed to give some kind of speech or news conference at some point. He may be the first official announcement that we hear. However, they local news stations are still talking to people that were at observatories to observe the reentry and hearing from people from different towns that heard and felt and saw the debris falling.

As for me, I am going to try to get some sleep. After a long, hard night at work, there has been quite a bit of excitement, if you can call it that, here this morning and I am very tired. Any one who hears anything is welcome to update us all. When I wake up I will see if I can find out anything else and let ya'll know.

 

[Jacqline]

It broke my heart to hear this news.........we have had so much to deal with in this country the past few years.

My prayers go out to the family and friends of the people we lost.



Jacqline

 

[Curious_Fem]

I was laying in bed getting ready to get up to come into work when I flipped the t.v. to CNN. What a horrible tragedy. My prayers go out to all the family and friends of everyone involved.

 

[tonitits]

There have been many reports and the original explosion happened over Dallas and of course with the speed it was going there is debris from Dallas to Louisiana, most of it in Nacogdoches,Tx which is SE of Dallas. There are reports that they have found pieces is big is 5-5 1/2 feet long 12 in wide. and then some other small. One piece came through roof of a dentist office and one hit a bank both of these in Nacogdoches. One lady reported that she was going from Dallas to Lufkin, which is near Nacogdoches and she was listening to a CD and saw a big piece of something coming towards her out of the sky. She said that she thought it was something that had fallen off an airplane. But it hit her car and scratched her windshield, but she was fine and didn't really think anything of it. She said it was pink and looked like insulation. A few minutes later a friend called her on the cell phone and asked if she was ok and she said yeah why wouldn't I be and they told her that the shuttle had exploded over Dallas. As she got closer to Nacogdoches she said that there was debris all over the place. There is supposed to be a news conference in a few minutes and then Pres. Bush is going to have something to say. He has been briefed and on his way back to Washington.

 

[Mstrskey]

Nasa giving factual briefing now..

I'm to stunned to really know what to say.

I am old enough that I still remember being in school in CA and watching Challenger explode as she came in. It's the same feeling....absolute stunned speechlessness and the overwhelming urge to just cry.

My prayers are with the families of those we have lost today.

We take so much of the marvel and science that is space flight and exploration for granted now. Shuttle launches are no more then a blurb on the news and landings are barely that.
If anything good comes of this it may be that we as a nation will once again be reminded of the fearless bravery of the men and women who not only reach for the stars, but dare to walk among them.

 

[Baron]

This is awful. I first actually saw this on cnn.com, then I ran out into the kitchen to turn on the TV. Of course, what else is there to say? The commentators have no idea what happened, there's not much for them to say. A terrible thing, and the last thing NASA needs.

 

[tonitits]

Re: Nasa giving factual briefing now..

I'm to stunned to really know what to say.

I am old enough that I still remember being in school in CA and watching Challenger explode as she came in. It's the same feeling....absolute stunned speechlessness and the overwhelming urge to just cry.

My prayers are with the families of those we have lost today.

We take so much of the marvel and science that is space flight and exploration for granted now. Shuttle launches are no more then a blurb on the news and landings are barely that.
If anything good comes of this it may be that we as a nation will once again be reminded of the fearless bravery of the men and women who not only reach for the stars, but dare to walk among them.

I agree with you. The local stations here have been talking about that all morning. About how we get so used to them and they become routine and the news usually does not even cover them. Our local station was covering it and had reporters filming when it reentered. That is how they got alot of the info and knowing exactly when everything happened. As the anchors said it seemed a little odd but nothing real strange because we had seen the reentry before. Then we realized that what we saw was not normal and that is the time that they lost contact and the people that went outside could see debris falling. I did not go out, but did hear it and was wondering what it was. Alot of people heard it and did not think anything because they knew it was coming in and just thought that they broke the sound barrier. But it did not take long to realize. They have also been talking about how everyone is nervous with the takeoff because they know that it can be dangerous, but do not realize just how dangerous the reentry can be.

 

[islander01]

Yes definatly brings up memories of challenger. It heartens me a little to know that these brave folks know that this is a possiblity in there line of work, without folks like them we would not advance much as a speicies. my heart goes out to there loved ones.

 

[Mstrskey]

" Not as a result of forces on the ground"

I was really very grateful to hear them say that during the briefing.
Given that we were carrying Israels first astronaut I was ashamedly concerned that this might have been the result of outside forces rather then a tragic accident.

I'm getting a first hand lesson in how blase we have become about the event here at home.
My 8 yr. old daughter doesn't understand what the big deal is and keeps asking if we can return to our regularly scheduled programming now.
I think I was only a few years older then that when Challenger happened and I remember being very aware of exactly how big a deal this was for the space program and for the country.

It cheapens the work they do that so many think this all works like some Star Trek episode.

 

[John Roberts]

I grew up watching many launches here in Brevard County Florida,
I watched the Challenger debris fall from the sky. Here where you hear the thunder of the launches such tragedy strikes close to the heart, I watched the ill-fated Columbia launch as I drove north on I-95 never imagining what awaited those poor astronauts, I was proud and glad to see the Columbia billowing cloud trails to the heavens. God bless them, my heart is heavy today.

 

[Soron]

Putting names to the faces...

President Bush is on television as I post this, saying that our mission into space will go on...

Rick Husband ~ Colonel, US Air Force
Mission Commander
Married, two children

William C, McCool ~ Commander, US Navy
Pilot
Married

Michael P. Anderson ~ Lt. Colonel, US Air Force
Payload Commander
Married

Ilan Ramon ~ Colonel, Israel Air Force
Payload Specialist
Married, four children

Dr, Laurel Clark ~ Commander, US Navy
Mission Specialist
Married, one child

David Brown ~ Captain, US Navy
Mission Specialist

Kalpanna Chawla ~ Aerospace Engineer
Mission Specialist

 

[Angelofsex]

Another sad day for America. The last one the Challenger on Jan.28 just came to my mind again. My heart goes to the families of this one.

 

[Soron]

The saddest part is, the families were on the runway at Cape Kennedy waiting for the shuttle to land.

 

[whspr]

Another reason to never take your loved ones for granted. Make sure they know you care.

My heart is heavy and I feel the pain of these families. Take a moment to remember them and what they were doing for our
country. My deepest sympathy to all involved.

whspr

 

[redelicious]

Re: Putting names to the faces...

President Bush is on television as I post this, saying that our mission into space will go on...

Rick Husband ~ Colonel, US Air Force
Mission Commander
Married, two children

William C, McCool ~ Commander, US Navy
Pilot
Married

Michael P. Anderson ~ Lt. Colonel, US Air Force
Payload Commander
Married

Ilan Ramon ~ Colonel, Israel Air Force
Payload Specialist
Married, four children

Dr, Laurel Clark ~ Commander, US Navy
Mission Specialist
Married, one child

David Brown ~ Captain, US Navy
Mission Specialist

Kalpanna Chawla ~ Aerospace Engineer
Mission Specialist

God Bless these brave people. I hope that our space program continues to flourish so that they will not have died in vain.

 

[redelicious]

What a time to double post.

 

[redelicious]

 

[Horny Hippie Girl]

Honestly, I think I am still in shock...I don't really think America can handle much more of this! This is a sad, sad day!

 

[1sexylady]

Toni..... this is a bad day for everyone and I pray for all who are involved. I just saw this thread....I posted to the one windycityman started... I have been sick and it seems my throat is giving me a rebound... Wishing you and yours the best always...

 

[tonitits]

Toni..... this is a bad day for everyone and I pray for all who are involved. I just saw this thread....I posted to the one windycityman started... I have been sick and it seems my throat is giving me a rebound... Wishing you and yours the best always...

Thanks sexylady! I had just got home and there was a loud boom, kind like 3 actually and it felt like someone had run into my house. I don't think it really shook, but it kind of seemed like it. And I was so tired I did not go outside to see what it was. But my aunt called and told me and told me to turn on the tv. I immediately thought to make the thread to let everyone know and to give what details we were getting. I think the local stations actually had better coverage at first because of it happening here and being able to send reporters to all the places where debris had been spotted. And getting eyewitness reports. The air smells here from the fuel. I had not really realized that was what it was until someone pointed it out to me. As always I wish you and your family the very best.