Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of- wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never Lark, or even Eagle flew - And while with silent lifting mind, I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. -by John Gillespie Magee, Jr, 1922-1944
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Sad, sad thing......
What a thing to awaken to: got out of bed at 5:00 am, turned the TV on and the "Breaking News." I hope that the end was quick and those poor unfortunates didn't suffer. Reminded me of the Challenger disaster when I turned on the TV not too many years ago. I shed tears that time. I also feel sorry for the families who were waiting at the Kennedy Space Center for the flight that never arrived.
What a thing to awaken to: got out of bed at 5:00 am, turned the TV on and the "Breaking News." I hope that the end was quick and those poor unfortunates didn't suffer. Reminded me of the Challenger disaster when I turned on the TV not too many years ago. I shed tears that time. I also feel sorry for the families who were waiting at the Kennedy Space Center for the flight that never arrived.
lowered my flag
out front..horrible thing..at least it was something they loved.. god bless all of them..
out front..horrible thing..at least it was something they loved.. god bless all of them..
And God
And God has taken my hand to lead me to a better place and time, for I have done all that was needed of me in this world, and now I move on with God's hand in mine.
And God has taken my hand to lead me to a better place and time, for I have done all that was needed of me in this world, and now I move on with God's hand in mine.
The price of progress and reaching beyond ones
grasp is sometimes very steep. But it is in our genes and will always be a human endeavor. Anybody notice that this accident happened almost the same weekend as the Challenger (January 28, 1986) and almost the same weekend as the Apollo tragedy (January 27, 1967) that had the fire on the launching pad. Very weird !!.....Almost too coincidental...... Reminds me of all the similarities between The Kennedy and Lincoln assassinations... There is something about a national endeavor as grand as space travel that binds us in ways that other things don't. It reaches beyond day to day duties and jobs......it pulls us out of our little speck of a sphere we call "earth". It makes us all think beyond our earthly lives, loves and wars. It make us dream of things beyond our own humanity. My heart goes out to the families and co-workers. We will recover, lick our wounds and move on. As we would, as we should. But this isn't just a loss for a family, its much more than that, its a loss for all of us. Peace Tom Senator
grasp is sometimes very steep. But it is in our genes and will always be a human endeavor. Anybody notice that this accident happened almost the same weekend as the Challenger (January 28, 1986) and almost the same weekend as the Apollo tragedy (January 27, 1967) that had the fire on the launching pad. Very weird !!.....Almost too coincidental...... Reminds me of all the similarities between The Kennedy and Lincoln assassinations... There is something about a national endeavor as grand as space travel that binds us in ways that other things don't. It reaches beyond day to day duties and jobs......it pulls us out of our little speck of a sphere we call "earth". It makes us all think beyond our earthly lives, loves and wars. It make us dream of things beyond our own humanity. My heart goes out to the families and co-workers. We will recover, lick our wounds and move on. As we would, as we should. But this isn't just a loss for a family, its much more than that, its a loss for all of us. Peace Tom Senator
A calling
Icarus - Borne On Wings Of Steel Early in the morning sunlight Soaring on the wings of dawn Here I'll live and die with my wings in the sky And I won't come down no more Higher than a bird I'm flying Crimson skies of ice and fire Borne on wings of steel I have so much to feel And I won't come down no more Sail on, sail on, I will rise each day to meet the dawn So high, so high I've climbed the mountains of the sky Without my wings you know I'd surely die I found my freedom flyin' high I've climbed the mountains of the sky Floating on a cloud of amber Searching for the rainbow's end Earth so far below me, I'm here alone, free I can't come down no more - Kerry Livgren, song recorded by Kansas 1975
Icarus - Borne On Wings Of Steel Early in the morning sunlight Soaring on the wings of dawn Here I'll live and die with my wings in the sky And I won't come down no more Higher than a bird I'm flying Crimson skies of ice and fire Borne on wings of steel I have so much to feel And I won't come down no more Sail on, sail on, I will rise each day to meet the dawn So high, so high I've climbed the mountains of the sky Without my wings you know I'd surely die I found my freedom flyin' high I've climbed the mountains of the sky Floating on a cloud of amber Searching for the rainbow's end Earth so far below me, I'm here alone, free I can't come down no more - Kerry Livgren, song recorded by Kansas 1975
Sail on
The committee judged the promises and offers of this mission to be impossible, vain, and worthy of rejection: that (it) was not proper to favor an affair that rested on such weak foundations and which appeared uncertain and impossible... - Talavera Commission, 1491, turning down Christopher Columbus' proposal for finding a new trade route to the Indies. Queen Isabella of Spain later funded the project. And here we are. Other space exploration related quotes below.
The committee judged the promises and offers of this mission to be impossible, vain, and worthy of rejection: that (it) was not proper to favor an affair that rested on such weak foundations and which appeared uncertain and impossible... - Talavera Commission, 1491, turning down Christopher Columbus' proposal for finding a new trade route to the Indies. Queen Isabella of Spain later funded the project. And here we are. Other space exploration related quotes below.
Tragic.....
This is extremely tragic to those of us who sit by the wayside. These honorable people have chosen to take a risk. They knew it and weighed it and pursued it. They were even willing to pray for the soldiers in the possible up coming war. Yet they knew the risk, the danger of what they do. They did not choose this, but they knew it was possible. How honorable these astronauts (soldiers of their own rite). Every day people go cruising with the same possible out come.Yet this is what they chose. I only ask that if you live the safe life of the unknown, what will be your impact on the world? The space program has increased much of our luxury in the U.S.with the advances that have been developed through the required engineering. On the same note, something like studing the weather patterns in the Mediterranean is something that benifits many others. It was one of the goals of this lost flight. Yes, once again, as our military has before, they gave their lives for a better world. I am afraid that many will call for the space program to be halted. This should not happen! I think of the many endeavors that the space program has faced and met. Space is a frontier. It needs to be explored and through that exploration, it will help the world. This is a far greater call. I honor these brave people, soldiers and astronauts, that give their lives for others. Even us, those that they did not know. I pray for peace in their families. I also pray that their families as well as we the people, understand the great things that they did as they risked, and lost, their lives. Sincerely, r.w.landau
This is extremely tragic to those of us who sit by the wayside. These honorable people have chosen to take a risk. They knew it and weighed it and pursued it. They were even willing to pray for the soldiers in the possible up coming war. Yet they knew the risk, the danger of what they do. They did not choose this, but they knew it was possible. How honorable these astronauts (soldiers of their own rite). Every day people go cruising with the same possible out come.Yet this is what they chose. I only ask that if you live the safe life of the unknown, what will be your impact on the world? The space program has increased much of our luxury in the U.S.with the advances that have been developed through the required engineering. On the same note, something like studing the weather patterns in the Mediterranean is something that benifits many others. It was one of the goals of this lost flight. Yes, once again, as our military has before, they gave their lives for a better world. I am afraid that many will call for the space program to be halted. This should not happen! I think of the many endeavors that the space program has faced and met. Space is a frontier. It needs to be explored and through that exploration, it will help the world. This is a far greater call. I honor these brave people, soldiers and astronauts, that give their lives for others. Even us, those that they did not know. I pray for peace in their families. I also pray that their families as well as we the people, understand the great things that they did as they risked, and lost, their lives. Sincerely, r.w.landau
My Personal Memorial
There was only a whisper of wind today but I took my boat out of the harbor and into the Mississippi Sound where I made a toast with a shot of dark rum to the memory of Rick, Kalapana, Bill, David, Laurel, Mike and Ilan and their ship Columbia. Tom S/V Miss Jenna
There was only a whisper of wind today but I took my boat out of the harbor and into the Mississippi Sound where I made a toast with a shot of dark rum to the memory of Rick, Kalapana, Bill, David, Laurel, Mike and Ilan and their ship Columbia. Tom S/V Miss Jenna
I was there
Loading stuff into my truck to go to the boat early Saturday morning and saw contrail. Grim. Knew something was wrong; knew Columbia would not come home. Got call from friends at NASA ops; drop'd by Ellington Field on way to boat. Astronauts cars parked in the VIP spots, their owners wouldn't be by to get them. Sunday, drop'd by the entrance to the JSC campus and visited the impromptu memorial folks were making it out to be. Atmosphere like that I encountered at the Vietnam Memorial. All felt like family members attending a funeral. It was nice to drop by, even if for not-so-nice a reason. My history includes Nasa; it helped somehow. Here's a shot you probably didn't see on tv. Time to mourn; to fix the problem and launch again. Too many in front of me, but if they can't find anyone else to fly, they can give me a call.
Loading stuff into my truck to go to the boat early Saturday morning and saw contrail. Grim. Knew something was wrong; knew Columbia would not come home. Got call from friends at NASA ops; drop'd by Ellington Field on way to boat. Astronauts cars parked in the VIP spots, their owners wouldn't be by to get them. Sunday, drop'd by the entrance to the JSC campus and visited the impromptu memorial folks were making it out to be. Atmosphere like that I encountered at the Vietnam Memorial. All felt like family members attending a funeral. It was nice to drop by, even if for not-so-nice a reason. My history includes Nasa; it helped somehow. Here's a shot you probably didn't see on tv. Time to mourn; to fix the problem and launch again. Too many in front of me, but if they can't find anyone else to fly, they can give me a call.
Nasa photo
Here's a shot maybe y'all didn't see on TV of the impromptu memorial outside Mission Control in Houston. I had to push down the quality to get it to upload here, but I think you get the idea.
Here's a shot maybe y'all didn't see on TV of the impromptu memorial outside Mission Control in Houston. I had to push down the quality to get it to upload here, but I think you get the idea.
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