My heart goes out to the families of Columbia

Needless to say, this puts our listening group gathering today on a rather somber note. This was to be the first get together for a fledgling South Jersey group, hosted at my home. Can anyone suggest some appropriate music to be played, provided we meet at all? This event makes me want to call it off out of respect to the crew and families. Folks are due here in about an hour.

Please remember to lower your flags to half staff... May God bless and be with all.

Slipnot1 - appropriate music - Arvo Part "Cantus in memory of Benjaman Britten. I can send it to you via email.

Ltkije - thanks for your kind offer. I think I may have a couple in mind: Morten Lauridsen "Lux AEterna" and Mahler "Symphony No.2 "Resurrection"" w/ Gilbert Kaplan and London Symphony

I do feel for the friends and families of the crew and the NASA agency in general. My uncle worked on the Apollo Space program, and I have met several of the first astronauts.

One interesting point... I remember reading an article that NASA scientists estimate that there is a about 2% chance of a catastophic failure every mission a space shuttle makes. The shuttles have gone on a bit over 100 missions (I think around 120) with two catastophic failures (Challenger and Columbia) which puts the failure rate at a little under 2%.

I think NASA really needs to re-evaluate the Space Shuttle designs because a 2% failure rate seems a little high (I know I would not drive or fly anything if I knew there was a 2% chance I would die doing it). The shuttle design is around 25 years old.... Yes, I know the shuttles have been updated through the years. However, NASA should be able to come up with something a bit more safe by now. Technology has changed considerably in 25 years, I think it is time to retire the shuttle design (ASAP) as soon as we can replace it with something better.

KF