Pat Flannery wrote in news:12q559nm7crqq10
@corp.supernews.com:



Skywise wrote:
That, and now "Columbia, Houston. UHF comm check."

Got chills just typing that.



Though it all happened so fast that it didn't sink in at the time, when
reading the transcripts the spooky part is when the temperature sensors
start climbing, then failing.

Pat

Although there was little chance of it, this was the first reentry
that I attempted to observe. If I could see it, it would have been
about 10 degrees off my northern horizon from here in the LA area.
Mountains and haze made it a long shot. But I got up anyway and had
NASA TV streaming to my computer.

I didn't see a thing so I just listened to the live feed. I wasn't
paying real close attention until I kept hearing that call for
comm check repeated. At first it didn't seem too serious. But when
I heard them ask when they expected tracking at Merritt Island
and they said "one minute ago" I got concerned. That's when I
turned on CNN.

Touchdown time came and went.

I'm thinkig, heck, maybe they had a problem and bailed out somewhere.
Maybe they had to use that new fangled escape chute thingy. Perhaps
they're in the Gulf of Mexico waiting for rescue. Or crash landed
somewhere else.

Then there was that first report of multiple trails seen over Texas
and I knew it was over, that there was no hope. That's when it really
hit me.

Brian
--
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