The Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy

It was February 2, 2003 local time and I was enjoying a late sleep, in McMurdo, Antarctica, on a Sunday morning, my only day off each week. It wasn't until I awoke a few minutes before 8:00AM and started to check my email that I began to learn something had gone wrong. Due to the time difference, it was around 2:00PM EST on February 1 that I learned of the disaster aboard the Columbia Space Shuttle.

Disaster has been much on my mind this week. Those of you who receive the About Astronomy & Space Newsletter know that I sent a special issue out earlier this week in memorial to the astronauts of Apollo 1 and the Space Shuttle Challenger, who lost their lives this week in previous years. In the middle of the week, my temporary roommate departed. He had been here as part of the NTSB (National Transportation and Safety Board) to investigate a helicopter crash. Fortunately, there was no loss of life in the crash, though two men were seriously injured. Now, once again, I found myself issuing another special newsletter, this one concerning a current tragedy.

As International Space Station commander Frank Culbertson said in an article I wrote about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, "Tears don't flow the same way in space." Well, for a journalist, tears don't flow the same way, either. They were there, but had to be ignored in order to learn and share as much as possible.

There were other things about this situation which reminded me of 9/11/01. As I tried to search for answers on the Internet, so many sites seemd so busy that I could not get to many of the sites. In fact, the net was so busy, I could not even get into the control center for this site. Fortunately, unlike 9/11, I at least had access to a television.

As I write this, I am still numb. This tragedy affects me on so many levels, as an employee of a government space engineering center, as a reporter covering space, as a lifelong supporter of the space program, and as a friend to a number of NASA employees. I wonder if I'm a bad person for feeling relieved that no one I know was a member of the crew. Other parts of my life now take control. As the Antarctic Coordinator for the United Nations World Space Week and cofounder of the Antarctic Astronomy Society, I am working with local chaplains to prepare a memorial service for the Columbia heroes.

I will continue to keep you informed on the investigation into this accident over the next few weeks and months as more information becomes available. As we have in the past, we will make it through this tragedy, learn from it, and continue to persevere in our efforts to explore off this tiny marble we call home.