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Author
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Topic: Space Shuttle Columbia Crew Memorialized On Mars
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 10782
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted January 06, 2004 03:13 PM
   
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today announced plans to name the landing site of the Mars Spirit Rover in honor of the astronauts who died in the tragic accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia in February. The area in the vast flatland of the Gusev Crater where Spirit landed this weekend will be called the Columbia Memorial Station.Since its historic landing, Spirit has been sending extraordinary images of its new surroundings on the red planet over the past few days. Among them, an image of a memorial plaque placed on the spacecraft to Columbia's astronauts and the STS-107 mission.  The plaque is mounted on the back of Spirit's high-gain antenna, a disc-shaped tool used for communicating directly with Earth. The plaque is aluminum and approximately six inches in diameter. The memorial plaque was attached March 28, 2003, at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Chris Voorhees and Peter Illsley, Mars Exploration Rover engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., designed the plaque. "During this time of great joy for NASA, the Mars Exploration Rover team and the entire NASA family paused to remember our lost colleagues from the Columbia mission. To venture into space, into the unknown, is a calling heard by the bravest, most dedicated individuals," said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe. "As team members gazed at Mars through Spirit's eyes, the Columbia memorial appeared in images returned to Earth, a fitting tribute to their own spirit and dedication. Spirit carries the dream of exploration the brave astronauts of Columbia held in their hearts." Spirit successfully landed on Mars Jan. 3. It will spend the next three months exploring the barren landscape to determine if Mars was ever watery and suitable to sustain life. Spirit's twin, Opportunity, will reach Mars on Jan. 25 to begin a similar examination of a site on the opposite side of the planet. [This message has been edited by Robert Pearlman (edited January 06, 2004).] IP: Logged |
FFrench
Member Posts: 2051
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted January 06, 2004 03:31 PM
That's very good to hear, and I will share it with the staff of our Challenger Center.Thanks, FF [This message has been edited by collectSPACE Admin (edited January 06, 2004).] IP: Logged |
MrSpace86
Member Posts: 572
From: Gardner, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted January 06, 2004 05:55 PM
That's probably one of the best pictures I have ever seen from another planet.-Rodrigo IP: Logged |
dss65
Member Posts: 537
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted January 06, 2004 09:53 PM
NASA hit a homer with this mission. It's definitely turning into a Grand Slam. Bravo!------------------
Don IP: Logged |
ALAIN
Member Posts: 355
From: GENT, Belgium
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted January 07, 2004 07:32 AM
Superb initiative ... A great memorial for STS-107 !
Just curious; Would "Opportunity" also carry such a plate ?[This message has been edited by ALAIN (edited January 07, 2004).] IP: Logged |
Scott
Member Posts: 3046
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted January 07, 2004 09:23 AM
That's neat.IP: Logged | |
