NASA Honors Columbia's Dead in Memorial
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — In an emotional ceremony just a few miles from where Columbia should have landed five years ago Friday, NASA officials, astronauts, schoolchildren and family members of the lost shuttle crew gathered to remember the seven who died while returning from space.
Evelyn Husband-Thompson noted that Friday's sunrise was just as beautiful as it was the morning of Feb. 1, 2003, when she awaited the homecoming of Columbia and her husband, Rick, its commander.
Columbia never made it back from its science mission. Its wing gashed by a chunk of fuel tank foam insulation at liftoff 16 days earlier, the spaceship shattered high above Texas just minutes from home.
"This morning, I couldn't stop thinking about Rick and Willie and Kalpana and Dave and Mike and Laurel and Ilan," said Husband-Thompson, naming each of the Columbia crew.
"All of our families went through so much that day. We so miss them, and we will never forget them."
NASA's top spaceflight officials joined Husband-Thompson, who remarried just three weeks ago, her two children and nearly 200 others at the Kennedy Space Center's outdoor astronaut memorial. Each guest received a long-stemmed rose; the flowers were placed in the grating in front of the giant shiny granite marker bearing the names of all NASA's 24 astronauts killed in the line of duty.
Standing on the sidelines under an overcast sky were 44 ninth-graders from Israel, the homeland of astronaut Ilan Ramon. Some of the teenagers were from the same school Ramon attended decades earlier.
"He's Israeli, so it's important," 15-year-old Roman Rashchupkin said. "He learned in our school."
India, the homeland of Columbia astronaut Kalpana Chawla, also was represented at the hourlong ceremony. The chairman of India's space research organization, G. Madhavan Nair, noted how the loss of Columbia was painful not just for the astronauts' families but for the entire world.
Even though the Columbia seven are memorialized all over Earth, and even on Mars where a range of hills is named Columbia, "much more importantly than any physical monument, they're memorialized right here in our hearts," said former shuttle commander Bill Readdy.
Readdy named each of Columbia's crew and said: "We'll always miss your easy laughter and your smiling faces. God willing, five years from now, they'll have even more to be proud of us about as we take even longer strides ... back to the moon and onward toward Mars. May God bless the crew of Columbia."
Past and present NASA officials, including the space agency's boss, Michael Griffin, stressed how spaceflight is risky and always will be. As the next shuttle crew readies for a launch on Thursday, Griffin noted how crucial it is to learn from past mistakes. He read a letter from President Bush acknowledging the sacrifice of "the seven brave astronauts of Columbia," then presented it to Husband-Thompson.
This is a solemn time of year for NASA. Sunday marked the 41st anniversary of the Apollo 1 spacecraft fire on the launch pad, which killed three astronauts. Monday was the 22nd anniversary of the Challenger launch explosion, which killed seven.
"Americans don't quit and we won't quit. We'll never quit," Griffin said, grimly noting that "not quitting has high costs."
Columbia's final ascent
NASA has held a memorial ceremony to mark the fifth anniversary of the Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster. All seven astronauts were killed when their spacecraft broke up on re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003, 16 minutes prior to scheduled landing time at Florida. ''Columbia'' had been damaged by a chunk of loose foam during takeoff 16 days earlier.

NASA officials, astronauts, schoolchildren and family members attended the ceremony, which was held just miles from ''Columbia'''s intended landing site. Approximately 200 people attended the event, held at the Kennedy Space Center's Space Mirror Memorial to all 24 astronauts killed in space disasters. Each was presented with a rose, which was placed in front of a granite memorial bearing the names of the 24.

Evelyn Husband-Thompson, widow of commander Rick, who has remarried just three weeks ago, said "This morning, I couldn't stop thinking about Rick and Willie and Kalpana and Dave and Mike and Laurel and Ilan. All of our families went through so much that day. We so miss them, and we will never forget them."

44 teenagers from Israel were amongst those present, there in respect to astronaut Ilan Ramon. Some came from the same school Ramon had attended. 15-year-old Roman Rashchupkin said "He's Israeli, so it's important. He learned in our school."

G. Madhavan Nair represented India at the memorial, remembering Indian astronaut Kalpana Chawla. Nair is chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation.

Former shuttle commander Bill Readdy commented that, despite a large number of memorials, including one on Mars, "... much more importantly than any physical monument, they're memorialized right here in our hearts," Going on to name them individually, then saying "We'll always miss your easy laughter and your smiling faces. God willing, five years from now, they'll have even more to be proud of us about as we take even longer strides ... back to the moon and onward toward Mars. May God bless the crew of Columbia."

NASA boss Michael Griffin was amongst several people who commented on the dangerous nature of spaceflight. He proceeded to read a letter from United States President George W. Bush praising the astronauts, which was then presented to Husband-Thompson. "Space exploration is a dream deeply rooted in humanity, and the seven brave astronauts of Columbia sacrificed their lives so the rest of mankind could realize that dream," said Bush's letter. "They assumed great risk so they could understand what lies beyond the heavens. We are grateful for their service and they will be always be cherished."

Griffin also noted the importance of learning from mistakes, adding "Americans don't quit and we won't quit. We'll never quit," and that "not quitting has high costs."

It wasn't the only such anniversary around this time. The 41st anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire was on Sunday, and Monday saw the 22nd anniversary of the ''Challenger'' disaster.