Space Shuttle Columbia Feb. 1, 2003

[EMom]

My husband, DD and I were asleep at my mother's house in East Texas. There was a loud BOOM and the entire house shook, waking us from sleep. DH wondered aloud what that had been and I told him the only time that had ever happened before was when a chemical plant 15 miles away had exploded, killing my best friend's father and several other men. I told im my best guess was that there had been another plant explosion for the house to shake like that. Then I decided to keep on sleeping since DD had not woken. (It was the first clue she could sleep through anything, including an all nighter of Hurricane Ike.)

When I awoke, DH told me the shuttle had crashed. I thought of the Challenger crash years earlier, when I had been a teacher, watching the liftoff live during my lunch break. Only this time, they had been so close to making it home. So sad.

 

[Minnesota!]

10 years already? wow. We were on our way to WDW. We had a layover in ATL and when we got to our gate, we saw the news about it. Very eerie...knowing that our plane would be somewhat crossing the flight path that they should have been on.

That vacation was an emotional one...started with seeing that news, then discussion of ending our marriage ensued at POR. I remember laying in the quiet pool at POR, floating around, looking at the sky and contemplating life.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

We watched it take off.

My FIL's cousin at that time was the Director of Launch and Recovery Systems at KSS. (He is still there!) He had been working the night before on the launch pad with the crew and told them we were in town with the kids to see our first launch. They gave him a mission patch to give to us and a nunch of other things. Anybody could buy them at KSS but ours came directly from them.

After the launch we did the whole tour etc and saw all the family members of the Astronauts walking around, they had things on their shirts that identified them as family members. We thought about them often when everything happened during re-entry How proud they were walking around that day and how much attention they got from all the other guests.

 

[diznygirl]

I had the TV on to watch re-entry. In Florida it was good to be prepared for the sonic boom. But they lost contact with the shuttle and we kept waiting for them to reach her, and then it was past the time it was supposed to land....

 

[wiigirl]

Wow...that was 10 years ago?

 

[MNdisneymom]

I will always remember this day, but for a different reason: I was in the hospital, waiting to give birth to my son. It was all over the television, and every time a nurse came into my room to check on me, they looked at the tv first. It started fairly early in the day, when they thought it was lost radio contact, ...and then became apparent that it was much worse than that.

 

[Hercules10]

Was in bed in north Texas and the boom woke me up and shook the house. Ironic because usually I would've been out of bed with the dogs and watched as the vehicle re-entered. But that day we slept in.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I first heard about t on a radio they had playing n 7-11. I was stunned; it just dd not seem possible to me that we had lost an entire shuttle and crew again.

That night we followed through on plans to see a favrouite local musician. He dedicated one of his songs to them. I still think of Columbia every time I hear the song:

Before You Know It, by Jim Bizer

Pushed to the top of the roller coaster

Poised at the start of the bobsled run

Peering down into the sausage grinder

Pretty soon we’re going to have some fun

It’ll be over before we know it

Best just to take this all in stride

It’ll be over before we know it

Then you will be on the over side

Dive from the top of a mountain cliff

Footstep upon a banana peel

That’s what you get when you fall in love

A delightful wound that will never heal

It’ll be over before you know it

If you are not careful to guard the treasure

It’ll be over before you know it

Unless you are willing to trust and hope

And give and be lucky beyond any reasonable measure

A shooting star, miniature candy bar, dot com career,

six ounce beer, reet petite, short but sweet

Better not let it pass unnoticed

I don’t even know how it got here

Who is behind this crazy game?

Universe filled with madness and wonder

Love for it all, I just can’t explain

It’ll be over before you know it

Short but exhilarating ride

It’ll be over before you know it

Then you will be on the other side

 

[U2_rocks!]

My memories of that are hazy - I had a 5 day old DD plus a 3 year old and an 18 month old - I was busy!

 

[RadioNate]

I had just moved to Texas when that happened. The thing that stood out most was the news giving a number to call if you had debris in your yard.

All so terrible.

 

[John VN]

I had the TV on to watch re-entry. In Florida it was good to be prepared for the sonic boom. But they lost contact with the shuttle and we kept waiting for them to reach her, and then it was past the time it was supposed to land....

DW and I were at WDW that Saturday waiting for Sunday to arrive so we could go on the first DVC Member's Cruise. As we were coming back from breakfast I looked at my watch in anticipation of hearing the boom-boom. I had a strange feeling because there was no sound indicating the return and as soon as we got back to our room I turned the TV on.

We were devastated when we saw what happened. I then remembered about the Space Exhibit at Innoventions East and immediately got on the bus to EPCOT.

There on the wall was the display about the Shuttle program and words I had read many times before but never took notice of.

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first shuttle.....I looked at that wording and thought how odd they did not write...IS the first shuttle....

To this day I cannot think about that day and reading the word WAS without tears coming to my eyes.

How prophetic and sad.

 

[Snoopymom]

This video is amazing! The composure and professionalism!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbnT8Sf_LRs



Also, Poor Laurel Clark's husband who was in mission control and knew of the foam strike and struggled with his decision not to warn her. I can't imagine.

NHDisneylover, love those lyrics!

 

[NHdisneylover]

This video is amazing! The composure and professionalism!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbnT8Sf_LRs



Also, Poor Laurel Clark's husband who was in mission control and knew of the foam strike and struggled with his decision not to warn her. I can't imagine.

NHDisneylover, love those lyrics!

He's really a great musician with lyrics that mean something. I was so sad that I couldn't find a clip of him performing it to post.

and thanks for posting that video clip

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I remember being home and having the TV on when the news started talking about it. My son was 3, my daughter was 6, so neither of them really paid attention.

Remember when CNN claimed the shuttle went 14 times the speed of light?

 

[Snoopymom]

He's really a great musician with lyrics that mean something. I was so sad that I couldn't find a clip of him performing it to post.

and thanks for posting that video clip

I couldn't find anything either...makes you wonder how much great music we're missing out on because so many can't break out of the local status, but thanks anyway!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I couldn't find anything either...makes you wonder how much great music we're missing out on because so many can't break out of the local status, but thanks anyway!

I finally found it! Here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/jimbizer

And,YES, I am sure so much great music gets missed. I love live music and am so happy when we find a god local artist. I miss living where we could hear Jim several times a year.

 

[Callie]

I remember I had a basketball game that day. How sad :/
My aunt was also flying home from Texas, they were suppose to see the Shuttle from the plane.

 

[TwoCortWort]

I was laying in bed with my aunt who had surgery and I don't remember Challenger I was 4 when it happened, but remember saying its not suppose to look like that is it??? That day I also lost my grandma Ruby aka my childhood babysitter, so it was a rough day all around. Can't believe it has been ten years.