Columbia

just got the news about what happened to the Columbia.

Just when I starting to think that it was going to be a nice day, I read
John's e-mail.  As someone who follows space exploration closely, this
news
hits me hard.  Damn.   It's almost exactly 17 years ago, back in 5th
grade, when I walked into class after lunch to find out that the Challenger
exploded. I feel the same way now as I did then: numb with shocked disbelief.
But the images of the fragments of Columbia falling to earth are as real as
the images of the demise of the Challenger.

I had long ago resigned myself to fact that something like this was going to
happen again. Space flight is a risky operation, and mistakes will be made.
Accidents will happen. Lives will be lost. I just didn't expect it to be
today.

None of us did.

Later,