Page 1 - 200303 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2003

Dare to Believe - Dare To be Heard Dare to Believe - Dare To be Heard Visit THE PSYCHIC UNIVERSE Visit THE PSYCHIC UNIVERSE www.thepsychicuniverse.com www.thepsychicuniverse.com Published by THE MCCONNELL MEDIA GROUP Published by THE MCCONNELL MEDIA GROUP Vol 9, No 2 ISSN1499-8599 February 2003 Brought to you by www.rel-mar.com Shuttle Columbia Disaster, Shuttle Columbia Disaster, Seven Astronauts Dead Seven Astronauts Dead JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Texas (Reuters) - The space shuttle Columbia flared and broke up in the skies over Texas on Saturday, killing the seven astronauts on board in what NASA and President Bush called a tragedy for the entire nation. NASA launched an investigation into the disaster and began searching for the astronauts' remains. It said that although there had been some data failures it was too early to nail down a precise cause. The break-up, 16 minutes before the shuttle was due to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, spread possibly toxic debris over a wide swath of Texas and neighboring states. With the United States jumpy about the countdown to possible The crew of the space shuttle Columbia wave before boarding January 16. They are leaving the Operations and Checkout war with Iraq and an Israeli astronaut included in the shuttle crew, Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, officials discounted terrorism. "At this time we have no indication that Florida. Commander Rick Husband is at center. Behind him in the mishap was caused by anything or anyone on the ground," NASA the front row from left are Kalpana Chawla and William administrator Sean O'Keefe said. McCool; second row from left are Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon Dramatic television images of the shuttle's descent clearly and Laurel Clark; and third row from left are Michael Anderson showed several white trails streaking through blue skies after the and David Brown. (Photo: AP) shuttle suddenly fell apart. It was almost 17 years to the day that the Challenger shuttle exploded on Jan. 28, 1986, killing all seven astronauts on board. In a poignant moment, astronauts on board Columbia had observed a minute's silence in their memory on Tuesday. Take-off and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere are the most dangerous parts of a space mission. In 42 years of U.S. human space flight, there had never been an accident in the descent to Earth or landing. Challenger exploded just after take-off. NASA officials at the Johnson Space Center in Houston said there had been a loss of key data transmissions from the left side of the orbiter just before the disaster. (Continues on Page 2) “The only difference between a dream and reality The shuttle lifts off from Cape Canaveral January 16. is doing it.” (Photo:AP) - Rob McConnell