Patch, Crew and Johnson Space Center photo courtesy of NASA.
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Notes on this image: Since the day of the Columbia disaster I wanted to do something to honor the crew. The image started off as a simple re-entry picture, depicting exactly what we saw at 5:54 on 2/1/03, 6 minutes before the disaster. I then added the NASA photo of the crew, faded into the background. A nice image, however, it wasn't entirely "mine." I changed it and added only seven helmets, however that also did not look like something I would do. I have decided to go back to what I originally did, the simple re-entry image as viewed at the exact time that the shuttle was over the San Francisco Bay Area including the reddish glow of the fog that a friend observed. What a sight that was to behold. Indeed a fitting memorial.
February 1, 2003, 5:54 a.m., directly over the San Francisco Bay Area
The Columbia disaster has deeply affected our nation and me personally. I woke up early to see the shuttle fly over the Bay Area. I went outside several minutes early and was disappointed to see the morning fog obscuring my view with only a few pockets of deep, dark sky showing through. I prayed that it would clear in the few remaining minutes before the narrow, two minute window of visibility. I heated some coffee and went back out. In that brief time, the heavens opened up and only a halo of fog surrounded the distant hills. At 5:54 a.m. my son spotted the shuttle, as shown above, emerging from an area of sky above the Golden Gate. It was glorious. Its silent beauty was dazzling. It was the type of image I love most, simple, yet stunningly beautiful. We looked in awe as it sailed across the sky into the distant, fog-shrouded horizon. Minutes later, as I was describing the observation of a lifetime to art colleagues on line, a message arrived from a friend to turn on the news. I was overwhelmed with sadness. My memories took me back first to 1967 as I remembered coming home from school to hear about Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. Names forever etched into my memory. I remember Challenger in 1986, 17 years ago almost to the day and now February 1, 2003.
My son has asked why this is so tragic for me personally because I did not know them and many others on Earth will also die today, whose lives are no less valuable.
I thought for a moment and realized that these seven men and women represent the best in us - the right stuff. Passion. Curiosity. Enthusiasm. Courage. Service. I grieve for their families and friends, for the loss to our Nation, India and Israel and for the loss to NASA and the Space Program. For me, it is important to say this to you.
I extend my deepest sympathies to all the families, nations of their heritage, friends and to the space community.
In front are astronauts Rick D. Husband (left), mission commander; Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist; and William C. McCool, pilot. Standing are (from the left) astronauts David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and Michael P. Anderson, all mission specialists; and Ilan Ramon, payload specialist representing the Israeli Space Agency.
You will not be forgotten.
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Feel free to leave your own reflections of the day, your feelings or just your name.
