After a few days of the usual negotiating, I finally got the deal I wanted and had just left the car lot driving my first Corvette, the '95 coupe that I'm still glad to own. It was a cool but sunny morning here in NC and obviously I was on top of the world. That's when it came on the radio. The Columbia's data and communication had suddenly stopped and the worst was feared. And as we know, the worst indeed had occurred.
Please join me in remembering and paying tribute to these six American and one Israeli heroes on this day.

Rick D. Husband

William C. McCool

Michael P. Anderson

David M. Brown

Kalpana Chawla

Laurel Blair Salton Clark

Ilan Ramon

We know they are all with God and at peace.

A tragic day indeed for some brave souls. RIP

I have a feeling that someone in that line of work can't be surprised or regretful in the least for the fate they meet.

But it is terribly tragic for the families, and really all the kids that are mesmerized by those exploits. I remember watching the challenger disaster unfold as a kid.

Thanks for remembering - and making me remember.

I head them talking about it on the radio today. It was a real tragedy. They paid a price to make it safer for the future astronauts.

A loss of exceptionally talented and intellegent professionals.

Yes, their lives were lived on the edge, but it doesn't lesson the loss.