Yes, what a horrible thing! I don't think that I could ever be a mother, sister, friend, etc. of a person who was either a pilot in air or space. Unfortunately, that is the risk that they all take. It is amazing how this doesn't happen more often when coming back into the earth's atmosphere. And they were flying in one of the oldes shuttles too! It is just too stressful. My DH always says that he would love to take flying lessons. No way! It is way too risky!
I keep thinking of a quote from the movie Armageddon:
You know we're sitting on 4 million pounds of fuel, one nuclear weapon, and a thing that has two hundred and seventy thousand moving parts, built by the lowest bidder!
Of course, there is no nuclear weapon on board, that we know of, it just makes you think.
God bless all aboard, and their families.