On the Loss of the Columbia

[shannon_a]

I really don't feel about writing about it at length, but here's what I noted about the loss of the Columbia in a reply to one of K's journal entries:

9/11 and before it the Oklahoma City Bombing really put into perspective what a disaster is. I'm very sad that 7 healthy people who lived for science & discovery died today, but I'm sure at least that many scientists and discoverers died on 9/11 and maybe in Oklahoma too.

The 2 years after the Challenger in which we didn't fly any shuttles was very sad, but mainly a result of the cost-cutting and falsifying of reports that had been going on at NASA to keep within their budgets. Unless there's a lot we're not hearing today I think NASA will be moving ahead a lot faster this time.

Astronauts are definitely signing up for a dangerous profession where there lives are in danger, and I have a lot of respect for them for that reason. But I'd say the same for firemen, police officers, and even teachers at rougher schools. And a lot more than 7 firemen, police officers and teachers have died in the line of duty since 1986.

Though I can say that, I was also very shell-shocked today when my friends came over and turned on the TV and I saw what had happened.