space shuttle tragedy

I just got back from the STate Debate meet, but I'm sure that anyone who watched TV or listened to the radio today knows the news: space shuttle Columbia broke apart while landing & died onboard the shuttle, and human remains have been found. The last few transmissions with Columbia were as follows:

Mission Control radios: "Columbia, Houston, we see your tire pressure messages and we did not copy your last."

Columbia's commander, Rick Husband, calmly responds: "Roger, uh, buh ..."

For several seconds, the transmission goes silent.

Then, there is static.

Many think the problem began on the left wing, damaged during takeoff.

And although no one suspects terrorism, the nation is as uneasy about the space program as it's ever been since the Challenger.