Committee Leaders Mark 5th Anniversary of Columbia Tragedy
Washington, DC – Tomorrow (February 1, 2008) marks the 5th anniversary of the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the seven brave astronauts who flew on the STS-107 mission. Leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology today offered the following remembrances:
Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) Chairman of the full Committee commented, “When an unexpected tragedy of the magnitude of Columbia occurs, it’s up to us as a nation to mourn our loss, assess what went wrong, and work to assure it doesn’t happen again. The U.S. space program continues to be the envy of the world, and that is due in large part to heroic pioneers like the men and women aboard Columbia, Challenger and Apollo I. We honor their service – and we are ever mindful of their sacrifice as we move forward in our exploration of space.”
Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) Chairman of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics added, “No one ever said that space exploration would be easy or without danger. But, as a nation we don’t shirk from the risks because we firmly believe that exploring space is something worth doing. When Commander Rick Husband and his crew made the ultimate sacrifice five years ago today, we were again reminded of the dangers of exploration. On this anniversary, we also remember their passion and dedication, and it this legacy that inspires us to explore further, learn more, and work hard to ensure that the U.S. remains the world leader in space exploration.”
For further information on the Committee’s efforts in the fields of space and aeronautics, please visit out website at www.house.gov/science.
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