THE CRASH was the first fatal accident in America ’s space program since the 1986 explosion of the Challenger, which also claimed seven lives. That disaster grounded the shuttle fleet for almost three years and raised deep questions about the risks of space flight.
       “The Columbia ’s lost,” President Bush told the nation in a brief, emotional address he delivered after rushing back to Washington from Camp David , Md. “There are no survivors.”
       Although “our entire nation grieves,” said the president, who ordered that flags be flown at half-staff through Wednesday, the astronauts’ deaths will not spell an end to space exploration.
       “The cause in which they died will continue,” he said. “Our journey into space will go on.”

FIERY DESCENT
       NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe said Columbia broke up in flames as it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, spreading debris over hundreds of miles of Texas, just 16 minutes before the 100-ton shuttle was to have landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
       It is possible the seven astronauts on board were alive through much of the shuttle’s descent and breakup and is unlikely they were killed instantly, a NASA official told NBC News.
        Columbia ’s crew members completed more than 80 scientific research experiments during their time in orbit. O’Keefe described them as having performed their mission brilliantly and said in a broken voice, “The loss of this valued crew is something we will never be able to get over.”
       As investigations began, an official of the Department of Homeland Security told NBC News on condition of anonymity there was no indication that terrorism was Security was extraordinarily tight on this mission because of the involvement of Israeli Air Force Col. Ilan Ramon, Israel’s first astronaut. NASA officials feared that Ramon’s presence could have made the shuttle more of a terrorist target, but security officials reported no threats.

SENSORS WENT OUT
       NASA said the first signs of a problem came only minutes before contact was lost, when sensors stopped working on the shuttle’s left wing.
       Shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore told reporters that those failures were followed within minutes by several other problems, including the loss of sensors for tire pressure and temperature.
       The final radio transmission between Mission Control and the shuttle, at 9 a.m. ET , gave little indication of trouble involved.  

SPACE CENTER, Houston (CNN) -- As the massive hunt for clues into the final, fatal moments of the space shuttle Columbia continues, the crew will be remembered by colleagues and friends at the Johnson Space Center on Tuesday.

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush will join crew families and NASA personnel as they pause to remember the seven astronauts at an outdoor service.

"We're going to pause and reflect upon the crew of Columbia, their lives, their contributions, their memory, and although we cannot stop our investigation and the recovery effort, we will pause in this location to take the time to reflect upon their lives, their sacrifice," space shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore told reporters Monday. "It's a day of remembering. It's a day of remembering our friends, and for us it's a day of mourning.  

The world has been shattered yet again, the loss of our heroes is a tragic event. The world mourns the loss of our Astronauts. Our prayer are for the Seven Angel’s and their families.