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Shortly after 8:00 AM this morning, during what was expected to be an otherwise normal re-entry, the space shuttle Columbia was tragically and unexpectedly destroyed, killing all 7 astronauts aboard. The shuttle, traveling at approximately mach 17 or 12,500 miles-per-hour, began to disintegrate as it traveled through the upper atmosphere, scattering debris across a wide swath over Texas.

This is the first mishap in the American space program to take lives since the space shuttle Challenger tragedy in 1986.

One of the many activities the shuttle program has undertaken during missions is SAREX, the Space Amateur Radio Experiment. Shuttles have carried amateur radio equipment for the purpose of allowing students to exchange questions and answers with astonauts during orbit. As of this writing, more than 200 schools have taken part in this program.

SAREX also communicates with amateur radio operators, allowing them the opportunity to have conversations with shuttle crew. According to kb2nsx.org, "As the schedule permits, amateur radio operators can have their call sign confirmed directly by an astronaut. When the flight crew is busy, a "computer packet module" will automatically transmit a computer message. "

A similar program has been established on the International Space Station, called ARISS, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.

At this page,"Sounds of Amateur Radio", you can hear two shorts conversations which an amateur radio operator had with the ill-fated Challenger shuttle.

- Corey Deitz

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