Author Topic: (FEATURE/TRIBUTE) Space Shuttle Columbia: A New Beginning and Vision  (Read 16389 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Following on from Chris G's Challenger Feature/Tribute article, we pay our respects to Columbia.

PART 1: Space Shuttle Columbia: A New Beginning and Vision - by Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/02/space-shuttle-columbia-a-new-beginning-and-vision/

PART 2: Columbia (OV-102): A Pioneer to the End - by Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/02/columbia-ov-102-a-pioneer-to-the-end/

A very special ship that deserves nothing but our respect, and I would call for all members to remember her later today during the time she and her crew were lost.

RIP Columbia.
« Last Edit: 02/02/2011 03:29 pm by Chris Bergin »
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Space101

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 306
  • Leeds, England
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
That was amazing. Such detail of her early life and the photos are stunning.

Hail Columbia!
Let's go and explore space.

Offline MATTBLAK

  • Elite Veteran & 'J.A.F.A'
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5362
  • 'Space Cadets' Let us; UNITE!! (crickets chirping)
  • New Zealand
  • Liked: 2239
  • Likes Given: 3883
'Columbia' and 'Endeavour' were always my favourites! Somewhere I have a VHS tape of my visit to 'Columbia' in May 1996 at one of the OPF, with her just above us - almost close enough to touch. If I can find it, would anyone be willing to see it? I haven't watched the footage in years; it's a bit painful now for me. But if enough folk were interested, I could upload it.

With April 12th approaching, we have VERY important Anniversaries coming: Gagarin & STS-1. And there is also the triumph and tragedy of Soyuz 11/Salyut 1 to remember in late April. And; we are in the midst of Apollo 14's 40th Anniversary right now and July will see Apollo 15's 40th commemoration, too.

So many important space events to commemorate; so many uncertainties for the future makes celebrating and remembering these huge, historical Space events more important than ever. When we see ever-increasing blog and media comments along the lines of "Why are we wasting money on Space when there are problems here on Earth" etc. etc. blah, blah...

I salute Nasaspaceflight.com and the excellent work they are doing to help combat this gross ignorance, even if that is not it's official charter.

But in terms of commemorating the great achievements of the past:  The 'Columbia' tribute is an excellent start!!
"Those who can't, Blog".   'Space Cadets' of the World - Let us UNITE!! (crickets chirping)

Offline NavySpaceFan

  • Defender of All Things Nautical!!!
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1001
  • Norfolk, VA
  • Liked: 15
  • Likes Given: 6
Another great artice Chris!  Hail Columbia!!!!
<----First launch of DISCOVERY, STS-41D!!!!

Offline Mark Dave

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1096
  • Ruined
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 0
Amazing. :) I did get to see Columbia as a kid, back in the early 90s. I even have a photo of her on LC-39A.

Offline Lee Jay

  • Elite Veteran
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8566
  • Liked: 3603
  • Likes Given: 327
Through a stroke of luck and random chance, I happened to be in Florida on vacation the day Columbia was first delivered to KSC, and actually managed to snap a picture of it on the back of the SCA.  I wonder where that picture is now.

Offline Martin FL

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2460
  • Liked: 137
  • Likes Given: 278
Stunning. Probably the most iconic and famous vehicle we'll ever know.

Offline Mark Dave

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1096
  • Ruined
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 0
Here is the photo I took of Columbia long ago. http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs36/f/2008/251/f/4/shuttlecabin_by_OniGojirakaiju.jpg  OV-102, there she is. It was the early 90s when this photo was taken.

Offline Stardust9906

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1279
  • Durham, UK
  • Liked: 57
  • Likes Given: 1369
Great article Chris, looking forward to the second part.

Hail Columbia!

Offline robertross

  • Canadian Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17939
  • Westphal, Nova Scotia
  • Liked: 659
  • Likes Given: 7692
Amazing article Chris.
Looking forward to part two (if one can, considering the circumstances...)

Offline mr. mark

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1996
  • Liked: 172
  • Likes Given: 0
Shuttle Columbia and rest the shuttle program has a history that everyone in the space community should be proud of. As we move on to the next phase of development including HLV and commercial transport we should reflect and be thankful of the accomplishments of the shuttle program such as ISS assembly, payload delivery and science exploration through the Hubble telecope.

Offline Flightstar

  • Lurking around OPF High Bay 2
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1894
  • KSC, Florida
  • Liked: 78
  • Likes Given: 8
I so miss Columbia. Thank you for documenting her history as you have.

Offline wally

  • Member
  • Posts: 89
  • Romania
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 10
I was playing these days with iMovie and came up with this short tribute the the venerable orbiter:


Offline Paul Howard

  • Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 466
  • Perth, Western Australia
  • Liked: 15
  • Likes Given: 25
Very special article. I liked how you've not lingered on the event of the disasters in both tribute articles.

Was that the intention? Very respectful if so.

Offline Chris Bergin

Very special article. I liked how you've not lingered on the event of the disasters in both tribute articles.

Was that the intention? Very respectful if so.

Was Chris G's decision and one I totally agreed with.

Besides, we've written about the disaster over previous years. Starting with the only article that's had me in tears (and I'm a big army lad who doesn't cry!) Through to more positive articles on how times have changed.

In reserve order for Columbia:

The Day Columbia Fell (don't read if easily upset)
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2007/02/the-day-columbia-fell/

Columbia – her legacy honored via safety management
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/02/columbia-her-legacy-safety-management/

STS-51L and STS-107 – Challenger and Columbia: A Legacy Honored
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/02/sts-51l-sts-107-challenger-columbia-legacy-honored/
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline ChrisGebhardt

  • Assistant Managing Editor
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7842
  • ad astra scientia
  • ~1 AU
  • Liked: 7877
  • Likes Given: 853
Very special article. I liked how you've not lingered on the event of the disasters in both tribute articles.

Was that the intention? Very respectful if so.

To echo what Chris B said, the decision to not linger on the accidents was something that just felt natural to me. I really can't explain that in any other way.

Back in early December, Chris and I talked about republishing both Discovery and Atlantis's tribute articles ahead of whenever 133 ended up flying and of course ahead of STS-135. It was at that point that I suggested continuing this trend and write tributes of the same celebratory nature for Challenger, Columbia, and Enterprise. (And, of course, our girl Endeavour will have one ahead of STS-134).

For Challenger and Columbia, it seemed logical to me to publish these celebrations of their accomplishments on the days when most would be focusing on the accidents.

To me, there is no better way to honor the memory of these vehicles and their crews (who valiantly pursued what will only be a dream/desire for most of us) then to remember the stunning accomplishments made by each orbiter. Nothing could be gained by writing about their accidents to me. The accidents have been retold over and over and over again.

But what is often overlooked is the reason why we're inspired: their missions! Their flights.

What has honestly surprised me about the tribute writing process is how long Challenger's article was. It was 17-pages in Microsoft word. To help put that in perspective, without realizing it, I wrote 17-pages on Challenger's 10 missions. Discovery's 38 mission tribute in October was 18-pages total.

As I wrote Columbia's, I made it to page 22 with 10 flights still left to reviewed. It was at this point last night that I approached Chris B about splitting Columbia's tribute article instead of trying to cram everything into one article. After some discussion, we agreed that this was the best move.

What you have all read today are those 22 pages.

As such, Columbia's 2 OMDPs and last ten missions (1994-2003) will be covered in an article going up tomorrow.

Offline psloss

  • Veteran armchair spectator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17980
  • Liked: 4047
  • Likes Given: 2089
Very special article. I liked how you've not lingered on the event of the disasters in both tribute articles.

Was that the intention? Very respectful if so.

To echo what Chris B said, the decision to not linger on the accidents was something that just felt natural to me. I really can't explain that in any other way.
I think it's a good idea, and for someone who has been interested in the history of the program for 30 years, it would be fascinating to me to go back and look at the missions prior to NSF's inception, NSF-style. :)

Offline ChrisGebhardt

  • Assistant Managing Editor
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7842
  • ad astra scientia
  • ~1 AU
  • Liked: 7877
  • Likes Given: 853
Very special article. I liked how you've not lingered on the event of the disasters in both tribute articles.

Was that the intention? Very respectful if so.

To echo what Chris B said, the decision to not linger on the accidents was something that just felt natural to me. I really can't explain that in any other way.
I think it's a good idea, and for someone who has been interested in the history of the program for 30 years, it would be fascinating to me to go back and look at the missions prior to NSF's inception, NSF-style. :)


As they would be for me, as well. To be honest, this is a thought I've had while going back to the beginning. In many ways (and I know that I'm probably committing myself to actually doing this once Chris B reads this and says in his Yorkshire accent "smashing idea!" ;D) I would love to go back and write dedicated articles for each of the missions... NSF-style.
« Last Edit: 02/01/2011 06:44 pm by ChrisGebhardt »

Offline Gary NASA

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 626
  • KSC
  • Liked: 4867
  • Likes Given: 67
Very well written overview of such a great ship.

Offline Mark Dave

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1096
  • Ruined
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 0
I wonder if there will be a movie made about Columbia just as there was with Challenger? As an example-this was the Challenger movie http://img.movieberry.com/static/photos/62647/poster.jpg


Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0