I should probably try to stay more in touch with current events...

[rushthatspeaks]

Thanks to the people who mentioned what happened to the Columbia on LJ. I hadn't left my room yet, and it's a better way of hearing about that than any other I can think of.

Called Sei. They weren't home. Trying back later.

I was too young to remember the Challenger. But I feel like I've been punched very hard in the stomach. My best wishes go out to the families left behind.

May this not severely wound the most noble and far-reaching of all human dreams I know of. The space program has always been one of the things that gives me hope for the nobility of the species; it is our willingness to try to think on a cosmic scale, to explore beyond the boundaries of our one small planet.


On another subject: to my parents-- I'll try to call this evening. It's just been a busy week. I'd call now, but I'm already late for rehearsal.

Music: Weiss, Saigo no Bansan
Mood: in mourning

Comments

[thespooniest.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, while you're right that this shouldn't harm the space program, it probably will anyway. It's really a shame: a lot of the bravery has gone out of this country, and every disaster only chips away at it more.

I called Sei this morning, after I posted my entry, and broke the news. She'll be all right; she's taking this about as could be expected, but at least she has no work or classes today. That would have made it a whole lot worse.

[homasse.livejournal.com]

I called her, too, and yeah, she seemed fine.

I'm hoping against hope that this won't totally ruin the space program. The space program has always given me a hope of sorts--that we would one day move beyond earth; and by doing find our own common humanity.

I remember Challenger. I remember being a child and watching it on TV, eyes wide and not beleiving that this was real, and yet the reality slamming into me with every repetition of the explosion.

I was kind of OK until I saw the smouldering wreckage. Then I lost it. I mean, lost it, completley sobbing, and so loudly I had to cover my mouth because I was worried about maybe waking my neighbors.

I've suddenly been sent back to that day, when Challenger exploded. Not exactly, but in a way--it hit me the same, reduced me once again to that small child who could only watch, horrified. That same level of pure emotion, and it suckerpunched me.

And all I could do was cry.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Crying seems appropriate about now. I cut off a lock of my hair in token of mourning and left it at the statue of Athena, with a card. Because things put there go into the archives, and this needs to be marked here in some way; there are so many people at this college to whom the space program means so much. I keep praying this won't destroy the space program, and then I cry some more.

I'll be watching the news to see when next they're going to do any space launches, and what they find out regarding the cause of the explosion. If anyone finds out anything, please let me know.
Love,
Lila

[wayman.livejournal.com]

As you've no doubt heard many times today, there was a 2.5 year period before the first launch post-Challenger. I expect a similar or longer period here, possibly much longer if the decision to retire the three remaining shuttles in favor of finally developing the next generation of spacecraft is made. We will probably ask the Russians to retrieve the three astronauts on the ISS shortly; I can't imagine we'd send a shuttle to do it, not before they'd need to come home.