Author Topic: The Official Space Exploration Thread  (Read 230815 times)

Offline DSJ™

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The Official Space Exploration Thread
« on: February 1, 2003, 10:32 AM »
It is with deep regret that I inform you on this.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/01/shuttle.columbia/index.html

My heart & payers go out with the famliy's & NASA.  :(  :'(


Offline JediMAC

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Re: Space Shuttle Columbia
« Reply #1 on: February 1, 2003, 02:30 PM »
Truly heartbreaking to witness another terrible tragedy like this.  Just a horrible story to wake up in the morning to find waiting for you on your TV.  My deepest sympathies go out to all of the friends and families of the seven heroic astronauts who lost their lives.

I hope that NASA is able to pinpoint the cause, and rebound with their space program soon...

Offline dustrho

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Re:Space Shuttle Columbia.
« Reply #2 on: February 1, 2003, 02:46 PM »
My heart goes out to all those affected today by this tragedy.  I too woke up to this and have been watching the news all day long.

 :'(
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Offline DSJ™

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Re:Space Shuttle Columbia.
« Reply #3 on: February 1, 2003, 03:18 PM »


The Space Program will go on.  :)

Remember Jan 28, 1986 & Feb 1, 2003.

Offline Angry Ewok

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Re:Space Shuttle Columbia.
« Reply #4 on: February 2, 2003, 12:08 AM »
There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said, so I won't try. RIP, hopefully NASA can learn from the mistake so it won't happen again.  

Offline Scott

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Re:Space Shuttle Columbia.
« Reply #5 on: February 3, 2003, 11:58 AM »
My thoughts and prayers are with the Columbia astronauts, families and people who work for NASA.   I never thought we would see two Space Shuttles gone.  I was home sick the day the Challanger blew up (probably the sickest I have ever been to boot) and so I had tons of feverish nightmares that week.  I along with a lot of other kids in the 80's dreamed of being an astronaut, SW was a big part of that dream.  

In one of Carl Sagan's books he predicted doom for the shuttle program if another one was destroyed.  Space exploration funding is seen as unneccesary (witness the ISS being 20+ years behind schedule due to budget cuts in its program).  Risking astronaut lives is deemed to risky and many of the missions could be performed by unmanned craft (see many of the recent Mars successes and failures) for far cheaper costs.  Plus public reaction to this disaster may mean even less risk wanted to be taken in tax money.

BTW AE, have you ever been to the rocket museum in Huntsville?  I alwys have wanted to go (I fly in to Huntsville when I go to Alabama) but never have gotten the chance

Offline Angry Ewok

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Re:Space Shuttle Columbia.
« Reply #6 on: February 3, 2003, 08:18 PM »
BTW AE, have you ever been to the rocket museum in Huntsville?  I alwys have wanted to go (I fly in to Huntsville when I go to Alabama) but never have gotten the chance
I've been there a number of times, and each time there's something different about it. Coolest thing there is the components of a shuttle... that is, the backyard has fuel tanks and all that stuff laid out and you can walk around them and such. On the inside there's a lot of cool stuff, including a few models of Star Wars vehicles!

Definately the coolest thing in Alabama besides... um... yea it's the coolest thing in Alabama.

Offline DSJ™

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And Then There Was Light
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2003, 10:30 AM »
Here's a really cool picture of the Sun.



Our sun spurts out two large plumes of so-called prominences in an image captured by the SOHO satellite. Prominences are huge clouds of relatively cool, dense plasma swirling around the sun's corona. These prominences extend about 20 Earths out from the sun. SOHO, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, is a satellite launched in 1995 to give scientists an uninterrupted view of the sun. It's operated by the European Space Agency and NASA.
(03/25/03)

Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2003, 10:34 AM »
Awesome. I've got a pretty nice telescope, and I was thinking about getting a sun-filter so I can look at it... but at moment just havent had the interest to.
I've got a cool picture of the moon I took from my telescope, I'll post it later today if anyone's interested in seeing the moon (not a big deal, but still sorta cool).

Offline Reconsgt

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2003, 10:35 AM »
Great pic,  I have always been fascinated by space exploration, I watch what I can when its on TV, discovery channel is great for that.
Wayne Roberts or you can call me Sarge

Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2003, 10:40 AM »
Have you guys seen one of the space shows at an IMAX? Man, that was first thing I saw at an IMAX, and it was so awesome. I just couldnt help but wish IMAX had a "Battle Over Endor" show, where you basically soar around space in the midst of the huge battle... Man, that'd be awesome, okay, im done.  :-[

Offline DSJ™

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2003, 11:06 AM »
Where's the Marshmallows.  ;D




Offline dustrho

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2003, 03:48 PM »
These are some AWESOME pictures here!  Love those pictures of the sun, and make sure there are postings of the moon.  I'd love to see them!
dustrho

Offline BobaShek

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2003, 04:35 PM »
Woah, those are awesome pics!:D

I can't wait to go to the IMAX theatre in Boston for my school field trip this April. I've heard nothing but good things. :)

Offline DSJ™

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Re: And Then There Was Light
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2003, 11:14 AM »
Todays image's:

Lunar Farside from Apollo 11.



The Old Moon in the New Moon's Arms