Page 10 - 200303 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2003

10 Shuttle Columbia Special 10 Shuttle Columbia Special Grievers flock to space Columbia and sign a condolence book. Astronauts' families: Grievers flock to space Astronauts' families: museums Spokeswoman Claire Brown said being at Space exploration 'must Space exploration 'must museums the museum helped visitors "connect in a go on' tangible way." go on' CHICAGO, Illinois "It kind of reminds you of how (AP) -- Lee Einbinder human everything is," said Frank Lanky, had planned to spend a 18, a college student at Catholic WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The families leisurely day at home, University. "Yesterday reminded of the seven astronauts lost aboard the but the Columbia everybody how out of our hands it all is." space shuttle Columbia urged NASA and tragedy brought him to a planetarium Flowers and a poster of the the nation Monday not to give up on instead. Columbia crew adorned the lobby of the manned space flight in the wake of the "This was the place we wanted to Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center weekend's disaster. come to pay tribute," said Einbinder, a in Hutchinson, Kansas. truck driver, who was at Chicago's Adler In a statement read by Bill Readdy, Planetarium with his wife and 7-year-old Grieving with others the head of NASA's manned space daughter. "I thought here she can see why programs, the families thanked the space they did what they did, why they take The space centers in Florida and agency for its support and the public for chances." Texas also drew mourners. their condolences: Americans crowded space In Cape Canaveral, Florida, "On January 16 we saw our loved museums Sunday, sometimes leaving visitors stood quietly before the 51-foot onces launch in to a brilliant, cloud-free flowers, candles and handwritten notes to high, 43-foot wide Space Mirror sky. pay tribute to the seven astronauts killed Memorial, which was built after the 1986 "Their hearts were full of in the disaster. Challenger disaster. Others adorned a enthusiasm, pride in country, faith in their god, and a willingness to accept the risk white fence in front of it with roses, in pursuit of knowledge. Knowledge that Somber mood prevails daises, lilacs and tulips. might improve the quality of life for all "May all your dreams continue," mankind. Visitors at the Adler Planetarium read a card on one bouquet of flowers. kept their voices down and their children On a T-shirt with the NASA fire "Columbia's 16-day mission of close as television screens showed the rescue emblem, a handwritten note said: scientific discovery, which was a great Columbia's crew members smiling and "Our tears are not only those of sorrow success, was cut short by mere minutes. talking about their mission. but also tears of pride. You will never be Yet it will live on forever in our "It's a very somber mood now," forgotten." memories. said Freddy Atkins, who works in the Sheryl Donan, 38, knelt with her "We want to thank the NASA planetarium's educational technology two sons, Daniel, 3, and Damon, 2, in family and people from around the world department. front of the memorial. for their incredible outpouring of love Some also took comfort in the "It's good to grieve with others," and support. words of Sally Ride, the first woman in Donan said. "I feel isolated at home, like "And although we grieve deeply, space, who kept an appointment to you're all alone." as do the families of Apollo 1 and appear at a science festival. Challenger before us, the bold "We'll pick up the torch the Honoring the crew exploration of space must go on. astronauts carried and carry it forward," "And once the root cause of this Ride told 800 young girls and their At the Johnson Space Center in tragedy is found and corrected, the legacy parents at Sunday's event at the Houston, the NASA sign was partly of Columbia must carry on for the benefit University of Central Florida. obscured by flowers, teddy bears, candles of our children and yours." [End] "I think that although yesterday and American flags. Handwritten notes From The Publisher of THE From The Publisher of THE really was a horrible day for the space saluted the Columbia crew. ‘X’ CHRONICLES program, the space program will go on, it An Israeli flag and four balloons -- ‘X’ CHRONICLES NEWSPAPER - will continue and it will be better than it blue and white, the colors of the flag -- NEWSPAPER - Rob McConnell is today," she said. were hung in memory of Ilan Ramon, the Rob McConnell first Israeli in space. Praise for sacrifice In Hawaii, Onizuka Space Center The Publisher of THE ‘X’ employees at Kona International Airport CHRONICLES NEWSPAPER, Rob Attendance was up at the set up a small memorial with flowers and McConnell, would like to extend his Smithsonian's National Air and Space a photograph of the Columbia's crew. personal thanks and gratitude to CNN, Museum in Washington, D.C., where Nancy Tashima, the center's curator, said AP, Reuters, and all other members of the visitors left flowers and candles. visitors to the museum included Claude International Press and Media Corp for The bouquets were accompanied Onizuka, whose brother, Ellison, died in their professional, complete and by a copy of the Jewish holy book, the the Challenger explosion. thorough coverage of The Shuttle Torah, and handwritten messages. One "It kind of reopened the wound Columbia Tragedy. note praised the crew for making the again," Onizuka said from his home in Our thoughts and prayers are with "ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of Kona. [End] the families of the seven lost astronauts. knowledge." Many came to have their picture For all your Internet Needs... Rob McConnell, taken beside a 12-foot-tall model of the WWW.REL-MAR.COM McConnell Media Group