NASA reports new details of Columbia deaths

Equipment caused doomed shuttle crew to suffer 'lethal trauma'

 
WASHINGTON - When the first of many loud alarms sounded on the space shuttle Columbia, the seven astronauts had about a minute to live, though they didn't know it.

The pilot, William McCool, pushed several buttons trying to right the ship as it tumbled out of control. He didn't know it was futile. Most of the crew were following NASA procedures, spending more time preparing the shuttle than themselves for the return to Earth.

Some weren't wearing their bulky protective gloves and still had their helmet visors open. Some weren't fully strapped in. One was barely seated.

In seconds, the darkened module holding the crew lost pressure. The astronauts blacked out. If the loss of pressure didn't kill them immediately, they would be dead from violent gyrations that knocked them about the ship.

In short, Columbia's astronauts were quickly doomed. 

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28436243/
 
 
The Columbia tragedy in pictures:
 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22909739/displaymode/1107/s/2/framenumber/1/
 
The Columbia's launch January 16 2003
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
{ On January 15 my husband and I drove up to Titusville from Miami and stayed in a motel right on the Indian river where we watched the space shuttle Columbia go up the next day. It was an awesome experience. There was a flash of light than a billowing cloud of smoke and out of that smoke the shuttle started to rise into the air. When the sound hit us it was a low crackling sound like a log burning in a fireplace. The ground shook a little and I thought it was an experience for all the senses. The shuttle seemed to pull itself up on the cloud of smoke and soon disappeared into space. It wouldn't come back. Not in one piece.
 
We were back home in icy New York State on February 1 when the Columbia returned to earth. I was alone watching it on television. When the shuttle didn't come into view when it was supposed to....I instantly thought to myself ....."They are all dead." I felt it so strongly that I started to cry. I felt the Columbia was somehow mine. Watching it go up in person was a very personal and profound experience. I can still feel the awe I felt that day as I write this. I have framed photo's I took of the launch on the mantle of our fireplace.}