HOME掲示板時事問題Q&AリンクGuest BookMail
　

Start 2/5/2000
2003年2月2日 21時38分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）と遺体（＝body）が発見された！

ところで出願受付はだいじょうぶですか？新幹線で岩手県盛岡市や秋田県秋田市へ、飛行機で北海道の釧路市やら鹿児島県鹿児島市へ投函しにいきますか？壮大（そうだい）な無駄遣い！お金で時間は買えないこともある。「のうてんき」にも限度あり。


１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万９１９１！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！







”『立命館大英語』適性検査”（その１）


＜立命館大(理工)＞
問）次の(Ａ)～(Ｅ)に最も適当なものを(1)～(4)より一つ選べ。


子供はみな成功する必要があるという点には私達は同意する。しかし同じことを意味しているのであろうか。私自身としては、成功は早かったり容易であったりしてはいけないし、また四六時中（しろくじちゅう）やって来るべきでもないと思う。


成功とは、うまく行かないのではないだとうかという心の中の思いも含めて、障害を克服することを意味する。つまり、「だめだ、出来ない」を「（ Ａ ）」に変えることである。



　私はまた、（ Ｂ ）ということを早くから始めて、学ばねばならない。野球の高打率は三割である。人生の高打率はそれよりはるかに低い。人生は勝利よりも（ Ｃ ）を、私達全てに用意している。この事には早くから慣れておくべきではないだろうか。


それにまた、実際に打てるよりも高い打率を目指すようになるべきである。（ Ｄ ）、明日は私達が、あるいは誰かが成すかもしれない。私達の失敗のおかげで、誰か他の人に成功の道が開かれるかもしれないのである。


さらに重要なことには、失敗は（ Ｅ ）ということを理解すべきなのである。




(Ａ)
(1)「私にはできる、そしてやった」
(2)「私にはできる、しかしやらなかった」
(3)「私はしないだろう、しかし私はできた」
(4)「私はしないだろう、そしてできなかった」


(Ｂ)
(1)成功は容易である
(2)成功は必要でない
(3)私達は常に成功すべきである
(4)私達は常に成功するとは限らない


(Ｃ)
(1)はるかに多くの成功
(2)はるかに多くの失敗
(3)はるかに沢山の勝利品
(4)はるかに沢山の敗北


(Ｄ)
(1)私達が出来ないことを、今日
(2)私達が出来ないとき、今日
(3)今日私達にできないことを
(4)今日私達にできないとき


(Ｅ)
(1)尊ぶべきであり、建設的であり、さらに屈辱的である
(2)屈辱的であるというよりむしろ建設的である
(3)尊ぶべきであり建設的であるというよりむしろ屈辱的である
(4)尊ぶべきであり建設的であるだけでなく屈辱的でもある







・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・











・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・






[Answers]
(A) 1 (B) 4(C) 4(D) 3(E) 2

コメント
（Ｃ）は（2）が不可能ではないが、（4）に比べると「太陽の前の月」と言えよう。
成功⇔失敗　　勝利⇔敗北


[評価]
5問正解－ＯＫ
4問正解－あと一歩
正解が3問以下－山ごもり！




TA追記）
１）「京都府立大学」＝「立命館大学」
２）「信州大学（理系）」＝「立命館大学（理系）」
まあ、こんなところでしょうか。


2003年2月2日 18時31分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）と遺体（＝body）(?)が発見された！ところで出願受付はだいじょうぶですか？新幹線で岩手県盛岡市や秋田県秋田市へ、飛行機で北海道の釧路市やら鹿児島県鹿児島市へ投函しにいきますか？壮大（そうだい）な無駄遣い！


１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万９１２１！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！







”関関同立・京都府立大英作合格作戦”


０）英作文からやり始めるには「基礎体力」、「頭の柔軟性」が不可欠！


１）以下、英訳せよ。主語を補え。


２）ワタシ、人妻（ひとづま）よ。

＝　I'm (m------).


３）[ドア越しに] （ワタシを）中に入れて。

＝　(--t) (--) in.


４）あぶない！

＝(--) (c---ful).
＝(L---) (---).
＝(W----) (---).


５）明日は曇りでしょう。

＝ It will be (------) tomorrow.


６）彼女は走ってやって来た。

＝She came (-------).


７）私はその川を泳いで渡った。

＝　I swam (------) the river.


８）いやよ。

＝　I (h---) that.
＝　I don't (----) that.


９）何をしたらよいか教えてね。

＝　(S---) (--) what to do.
＝　(T---) (--) what I (------) do.


１０）ジョージにヨロシク。

＝ (----) my love (--) George.
＝ (---) (h----) to George.
＝ (R-------) (--) to George.
＝ (G---) my regards (--) George.


１１）水下さい。

＝ (G---) (--) (some) water.
＝ Water, please.


１２）お茶をどうぞ。

＝ (----) (some) tea.


１３）風邪（かぜ）を俺にうつすな。

＝ Don't (----) (--) (----) (c---).





・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・







・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・







・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

０）正解を正確に覚えよう。


ー１）頭を柔軟にせよ。＝Be flexible.


　　
２）ワタシ、人妻（ひとづま）よ。＝私は結婚しています。

＝　I'm (married).


３）[ドア越しに] （ワタシを）中に入れて。

＝　(Let) (me) in.


４）あぶない！

＝(Be) (careful).
＝(Look) (out).
＝(Watch) (out).



５）明日は曇りでしょう。

＝ It will be (cloudy) tomorrow.


６）彼女は走ってやって来た。

＝She came (running).


７）私はその川を泳いで渡った。

＝　I swam (across) the river.


８）いやよ。

＝　I (hate) that.
＝　I don't (like) that.


９）何をしたらよいか教えてね。

＝　(Show) (me) what to do.
＝　(Tell) (me) what I (should) do.


１０）ジョージにヨロシク。

＝ (Give) my love (to) George.
＝ (Say) (hello) to George.
＝ (Remember) (me) to George.
＝ (Give) my regards (to) George.


１１）水下さい。

＝ (Give) (me) (some) water.
＝ Water, please.


１２）お茶をどうぞ。

＝ (Have) (some) tea.


１３）風邪（かぜ）を俺にうつすな。

＝ Don't (give) (me) (your) (cold).





TA追記）音読、ぶつぶつ、筆写、サラサラ、寒さにも負けるな！喝！



2003年2月2日 16時43分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）と遺体（＝body）(?)が発見された！

１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万９０９３！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！







”関西大学（文系）合格作戦”


０）時間配分が大事。上り坂を上がりきる体力も！


１）「英語７０％、国語７０％、日本史最低９０％は確実。かろうじて合格でしょう。危なかった。」[苦労人Ｍ類]



２）立命館速報！「英語７０％は確実、国語、楽しめた、日本史６０％以上は神ぞ知る・・・」[元気現役Ｆ類]




３）下線部英訳問題：シンガポールでは、ゴミを捨てると罰金をとられるそうですね。

受験生：In case we throw away the 　×　trush in Singapore, we are fined, don't we?


TAのコメント: We are fined, don't we? ⇒　We are fined, aren't we?


→　We'll be ～, won't we が　さらにbetterだが。


受験生の皆さん、spellingは、紙に書きなぐって､覚えようね！　自信が無い単語を書くよりは､「少しニュアンスが変わろうとも」、スペル（spelling）に自信があるほうを書いておこう。そのほうが、まあ、点数がもらえる可能性大です。


「ゴミ」は、× trush ；　○　 "trash"


関連）「ゴミ箱」＝ trash can

「くずかご＝屑籠」＝wastepaper basket





４）コラムニストの個人的体験を綴った随筆 (関大)

　わたしはこの仕事が好きであるが，当然とはいえ，本質的に孤独な仕事である。記者稼業は前世紀に急速な変化を受け近代化したが，話を書くのに必要なのは人間ひとりと鉛筆一本それに汽車の切符一枚だけであった時代と今でも非常に重要な点で変わっていない。素晴らしい仕事である。かなりロマンチックなところがあり，事実，そのことがこの仕事のもつ大きな魅力のひとつなのである。

　しかし，時には－私の場合，たいていクリスマスの季節に起こるのだが－仕事をしていると英知とは何だろうかと自問することがある。その仕事でしょっちゅうひとりで飛んで出かけたり，話を引き出すため人々の生活の中に入り込んで行こうというはっきりした目的をもって知人の一人もいない町に身を置いたり，本当の人間関係ができないうちに風のようにそこを飛び去っていくのである。たいていの人はこんな生活とは無縁であろう。
　こんな思いはすぐさま立ち梢えるが，居残っているときは，だれでも精いっぱい誠心誠意それとつき合うものである。今晩がそうであった－記事の取材を終えボストンのホテルに戻り，獲る前にバーで最後の商を飲んでいたとき，書顆かばんに手を伸ばしもち歩いていた封筒を取り出した。

　その封筒は私の事務所に転送されていた。フロリダのタンパからであった。開封すると中にもう一通封筒が入っていた。結婚式の招待状であることはすぐに分かった。

　招待状によると，キャスリーン・リリ一とステフインマーク・スミスが私に彼等の結婚式に出席してほしいというのである．訳が分からなかった。フロリダのその地域に知人のいる覚えがなかった。すると，手書きの手紙が封筒から落ちた．キヤシー・リリーのサインがしてあった。

　手紙によるよ披女とその夫になる男性はここ数年間タンパ・トリピユーン紙に載った私のコラムを読んでいた。ひどくお世辞めいたことも書いていたが，その詳しい話にここで立ち入る必要はない。要するに，私がコラムの中で言い，やろうとしてきたことには彼女の心を動かし，心に留まったものがあったということである。

　彼女は招待状を送ったことにたいしほとんど託びてばかりいるように見えた。彼女の行為は変わっていると私が思うものと決めてかかっていた。

　このような仕事をするとき，いつも前提としているのは，誰かが自分のコラムを読んでいるということである。いろいろな上司がいて，自分というものが毎日どれだけ多くの人々の所に届いているのか見積もれる調査内容や研究内容を見せてくれることもあろう。しかし，どういうわけか，今までその数字はどれもが本当のように思えた例がない。数字が大き過ぎ，そのような数字で考えることはできないのだ。それにたいし電話の声とか郵便の手紙ーこの結婚式の招待状のような手紙ーをもらって始めて自分のこうどうについて何故そうしたことをしているのか気づくことはよくある。

　　もう一度キャシー・リリーの手紙を読み直した。終わりのほうで、こう書いてあった。「それで、招待する人のリスト作っていてすぐに分かったのですが、一度も会ったことはないけれども、親密に感じている人達っているのですね。」そのリストを見て、私はにっこりした。短いものであったがワルター・クロンカイト、ボブ・シガー、キャプテン・カンガルーに交じって、私の名前があったのである。キャシー・リリーがいうには、「どの人も、私達の人生に、その人によって持ち方はさまざまですが特別な意味をもっているのです。」

　私はバーで音楽を聞いていた。そして、自分がマスコミを通して人々に届くものの中にとにかくも含められている人の生活の一部になっているとはどんなに異常なことか、そんなことを考えていた。クロンカイトもシガーもキャプテンも、私達はみんな20世紀の通信手段のために彼らの生活の一部になってしまったのである。それらの手段は冷たくて血が通っていないもののように見えるのである。

　それでも、二人の若者が面識のない人間に自分達も結婚式に出席してもらいたがっているのだと思うと、これほどに心暖まる事があるだろうか。そのことは滑稽である。しかしこのような仕事をしていると、そのようなことは四六時中、昼も夜も、週末でもつきまとってくる。そのことを頭から切り離すことはできない。それでも、向こう側にいる人々の生活のなかに入っていくとき、自分のために毎日2分間割いてくれるなら、この稼業、幸運なのである。





５）RITSも「関西大」も、英語の中身、国語の中身が「おもしろい」と思えれば「運」もつく、ウン。



６）「中身」の面白い英語は、「単語が難しかった」。でも、楽しめた。



７）エライ、その「知的好奇心」が大事ですヨ。



８）「好奇心から」＝"out of curiosity"

"curiOsity"＝キュァリオッスィティ



９）「関西大英語」は、第３問→第２問（アクセント・発音識別融合問題を含む）→第１問とやるのが、合格者の定石（じょうせき）。



１０）"penalty"は、　×　penAlty　、○　pEnalty＝ペッナルティ

"-ity", "-ety"の前にアクセントの法則は適応できないよ。「i　,e」が無い。



2003年2月2日 16時08分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）と遺体（＝body）(?)が発見された！

１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万９０８３！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！






”（続）スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の悲劇（TA）”

１）シャトル乗員の？遺体発見；海外ニュース - 2月2日(日)12時15分

　【ワシントン支局】ＡＦＰ通信によると、米国テキサス州上空で爆発したスペースシャトル「コロンビア」の乗員のものとみられる遺体の一部が１日、同州東部ヘンフィルで発見された。

　地元警察が明らかにしたところによると、落下したコロンビアの残がいの中から人体の一部が見つかった。

　コロンビアにはリック・ハズバンド船長ら７人が乗っていた。（読売新聞）
[2月2日12時15分更新]




２）”7 Astronauts Die As Shuttle Breaks Apart”
AP - 1 hour, 35 minutes ago

Yahoo! News Sat, Feb 01, 2003 Top Stories
→　http://dailynews.yahoo.com/

High over Texas and just short of home, space shuttle Columbia fell to pieces Saturday, raining debris over hundreds of miles of countryside. Seven astronauts perished — a gut-wrenching loss for a country and world already staggered by tragedy. Full Coverage




３）Space Shuttle Columbia Breaks Apart Over Texas; Crew of Seven Dead

7 Astronauts Die As Shuttle Breaks Apart
(AP) - Space shuttle Columbia disintegrated 39 miles over Texas on Saturday in a meteoric streak that rained smoking debris over hundreds of miles of countryside, killing all seven astronauts. Suspicion immediately turned to possible damage to the left wing during liftoff. The catastrophe occurred in the last 16 minutes of the 16-day mission as the spaceship glided in for a landing in Florida. In its horror and in its backdrop of a crystal blue sky, the day echoed one almost exactly 17 years before, when the Challenger exploded. More...
Space Shuttle Breaks Apart (AP) Debris Path (Reuters)

Mission STS-107 (NASA) | Crew Profiles - Disaster Timeline (AP)
Chronology of Space Disasters (AP) | Slideshow | Message board

News Stories
- Officials: Don't Touch Shuttle Debris - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- EBay Pulls Alleged Shuttle Debris Listing - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- Shuttle Loss Another Challenge for Boeing - Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
- Purported Shuttle Debris Offered on eBay - Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
- Canadian Missions on Space Shuttle Likely Grounded - Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
- NASA Unlikely to Build New Space Shuttle - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- Shuttle Columbia Disaster Clouds NASA's Schedule - Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
- Columbia's Problems Began on Left Wing - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- TV Images of Shuttle Tell Viewers All - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- U.S. Shocked at News of Shuttle Tragedy - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- Three Committees to Probe Space Shuttle - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- Sports World Mourns Columbia Shuttle Crew - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- Seven die in shuttle disaster - BBC (Feb 1, 2003)
- World Leaders Express Condolences - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- India Mourns Loss of Astronaut Chawla - Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
- Shuttle Debris Rains on Texas, Blackens Earth - Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)




４）”Officials: Don't Touch Shuttle Debris”
2 hours, 18 minutes ago Add Science - AP to My Yahoo!

Yahoo! News Sat, Feb 01, 2003 Advanced Science - AP

By MATT SLAGLE, Associated Press Writer

DALLAS - From corrosive fuels to ammonia-like liquids, insulation and plastics, space shuttle Columbia carried a witch's brew of toxic and caustic materials designed to work in the hostile environment of space. Authorities warned the public to stay away from shuttle debris because it could be harmful.


"There's nothing on the shuttle beneficial to humans. The fuel, the propellant, all can be very abrasive," said Gene Perry, an engineer who worked on early space station plans put together at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.


Perry said either liquid oxygen from the shuttle's fuel system or liquid nitrogen used to inflate the tires could be dangerous.


The trouble is twofold: Liquid nitrogen could combine with oxygen in the atmosphere to form nitrous oxide, a gas that can be fatal if inhaled. The second possibility is that either liquid oxygen or liquid nitrogen can severely burn anything or anyone it touches, Perry said.


Texas Department of Health spokesman Doug McBride said they were awaiting word from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) and NASA (news - web sites) as to what hazards the debris may contain.


"We don't know what kind of chemicals are on the spacecraft," he said.


Much of the debris scattered across Nacogdoches, where authorities ordered people to stay 100 yards away from the debris because of contamination fears. Those who had touched the wreckage were urged to get medical attention.


"What we fly in space is operated in many cases with toxic propellant and some of the debris may be contaminated, so we need to be careful," shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore said.


Shuttles have long used a chemical called hydrazine to run their auxiliary power units. Hydrazine, a colorless liquid with an ammonia-like odor, is a toxic chemical and can cause harm to anyone who contacts it.


A water plant was closed in the Louisiana town of Many because of fears that toxic debris fell into the Toledo Bend reservoir along the Texas-Lousisiana line.


"To be safe rather than sorry we closed the water plant until further notice," Many Mayor Ken Freeman said.




５）Yahooligans > Space and Astronomy News: Bush consoles astronauts' families, will address nation on shuttle accident Last Updated Jan 29 7:43 AM EST

→　http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc3/yahooligans/astronomy/

Space Shuttle and ISS
- Bush consoles astronauts' families, will address nation on shuttle accident - San Francisco Chronicle (Feb 1, 2003)
- Space shuttle breaks up on re-entry - CBBC (Feb 1, 2003)
- Columbia loss: What happened and when - BBC (Feb 1, 2003)
- NASA pledges to find, fix, and fly again - UPI (Feb 1, 2003)
- Columbia Destroyed During Re-Entry, Crew Lost - SPACE.com (Feb 1, 2003)
- Space shuttle Columbia breaks into flames over Texas, killing all 7 aboard - San Francisco Chronicle (Feb 1, 2003)
- Stunned Space Center workers report for duty - Houston Chronicle (Feb 1, 2003)
- Shuttle Columbia Lost Upon Re-entry, Astronauts Missing - National Geographic (Feb 1, 2003)
- Insulation problem may have caused shuttle's disintegration - San Jose Mercury News (Feb 1, 2003)
- Endeavour touches down after 3-day delay - CBBC (Dec 8, 2002)
more
News Stories
- Newsround viewers remember space disaster - CBBC (Jan 29, 2003)
- Meteorite Hints at Mars' Watery Past - AFP (Jan 28, 2003)
- Israeli Astronaut Set For Launch - Scholastic News Online (Jan 16, 2003)
- Long wait ahead for comet landing mission - CBBC (Jan 15, 2003)
- New Moons of Neptune are First Discovered Since 1989 - SPACE.com (Jan 14, 2003)
- Einstein proved right on gravity - BBC (Jan 9, 2003)
- Far-away planet found - San Francisco Chronicle (Jan 7, 2003)
- Countdown for voyage to comet - BBC (Dec 27, 2002)
- Black hole hunter's first image - BBC (Dec 18, 2002)






６）Columbia Destroyed During Re-Entry, Crew Lost
By Jim Banke
Senior Producer, Cape Canaveral Bureau
posted: 11:14 am ET
01 February 2003

→　http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sts107_lost_030201.html


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Seven astronauts and NASA's first space shuttle were presumed lost over the skies of Texas on Saturday as Columbia was re-entering Earth's atmosphere to wrap up a 16-day science mission.

A Texas television station captured video of the shuttle breaking up into multiple pieces as the vehicle flew at an altitude some 200,000 feet and was moving about 12,500 mph.

Search and rescue forces in the Dallas and Ft. Worth area were put on alert and NASA officials warned citizens to avoid any debris found on the ground. Such debris can include traces of toxic chemicals and be extremely hazardous.



Presumed lost were commander Rick Husband, pilot Willie McCool and mission specialists Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Mike Anderson, David Brown and Israeli payload specialist Ilan Ramon.

The flight crew were wearing partial pressure suits, each equipped with a parachute, but the chances of surviving a break up at that height and under those extreme conditions are remote.

At Mission Control in Houston, flight controllers were in full contingency mode, securing data, making copies of files and locking up log books and any other form of information that might be helpful to the investigation into what went wrong.

Here's what we know so far about what happened:

Routine pre-landing operations began in earnest this morning at 5:35 a.m. EST (1035 GMT) when Husband and McCool closed the orbiter's payload bay doors and then loaded the entry and landing software into the shuttle's main computers.

The entire crew then continued through their checklists as scheduled, donning their orange spacesuits, strapping themselves into their seats and drinking fluids that would help their bodies re-adapt to gravity after touchdown.

Weather over the Florida landing site was nearly ideal, with ground fog the only concern. As the sun came up, the fog disipated and Mission Control gave Columbia a go for the de-orbit burn.

The twin orbital maneuvering system engines fired right on time at 8:15 a.m. EST (1315 GMT), committing the shuttle to its hypersonic dive back through Earth's atmosphere.

At about 8:55 a.m. EST (1355 GMT) the shuttle crossed the California coast high above San Francisco, continuing on above Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

No problems were reported at any point up to that point.

At 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT) Mission Control lost contact with the shuttle.

About 9:05 a.m. EST (1405 GMT) Mission Control began trying to communicate with Columbia's crew through the UHF radio at the Merritt Island Tracking Statio here at Cape Canaveral, but to no avail. Neither voice nor telemetry was received.

There was no indication as to what might have happened.

At the pre-landing news conference, entry flight director answered questions about potential damage to Columbia's heat protection tiles that might have been the result of insulating foam seen coming loose from the shuttle's external tank at launch.

Cain said engineers studied the situation and were not worried.

"We took a very thorough look at the situation with the tile on the left wing and we have no concerns, whatsoever," Cain said Friday. "Therefore we haven't changed anything with respect to our trajectory design."

If the damage was more severe it's possible that a burn-through of some kind could trigger a catastrophic series of events.

Residents of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana said they saw flames and heard a window-rattling boom Saturday about the time the space shuttle Columbia broke up on its way to a landing at Cape Canaveral.

"It was like a car hitting the house or an explosion. It shook that much,'' said John Ferolito, 60, of Carrolton, north of Dallas.

NASA declared an emergency after losing communication with Columbia as the ship soared across Texas at an altitude of about 200,000 feet while traveling at six times the speed of sound. The space agency said search and rescue teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were alerted.

Possible debris from the shuttle was reported on the ground at Nacogdoches, in eastern Texas.

"It's all over Nacogdoches,'' said James Milford, owner of Milford Barber shop in downtown Nacogdoches. ``There are several little pieces, some parts of machinery ... there's been a lot of pieces about 3 feet wide.''

Gary Hunziker in Plano said he saw the shuttle flying overhead.

"I could see two bright objects flying off each side of it,'' he told The Associated Press. ``I just assumed they were chase jets.''

"I was getting ready to go out, and I heard a big bang and the windows shook in the house,'' Ferolito told the AP. ``I thought it was a sonic boom.''

Louisiana State Police in Bossier City, 182 miles east of Dallas, got so many calls that one trooper had to be assigned just to answer the phone.

"One said he saw a plane breaking up over Shreveport. One said he saw a big ball of fire,'' state police Sgt. Steve Robinson said. Another caller from the DeSoto Parish, south of Bossier City, said a blast ``shook his house,'' the sergeant said.

Residents of Arkansas also reported seeing the shuttle break up, and Jim Harris, a spokesman for Gov. Mike Huckabee, said there was a strong possibility that some debris could have landed in the state.

Terry Ruby of Stamps, Ark., said her husband, Doug, called as he was heading for a fishing trip. ``He called me and said 'Terry I think we are being attacked. I just saw this explosion,''' she said.

Doug Ruby later told the AP that he pulled off the road to watch.

"We saw it coming across the sky real bright and shiny and all in one piece. We thought it was the sun shining off an airplane,'' Doug Ruby said. ``Then it broke up in about six pieces, they were all balls of fire, before it went over the tree line.''

Space shuttle Columbia was the oldest in NASA's fleet and the first to enter the Earth's orbit in 1981. Saturday's voyage was its 28th trip into orbit.

Named after a ship that made the first American circumnavigation of the globe in 1792, Columbia flew into orbit in 1981. Four ships joined the fleet over the next decade; Challenger in 1982; Discovery in 1983; Atlantis in 1985, and Endeavour, built in 1991 to replace the Challenger after it exploded in 1986.

The shuttle went by the name OV-102, standing for Orbiter Vehicle. It weighed 178,000 pounds with its main engines installed.

The shuttle had undergone about 50 modifications, including the addition of carbon brakes, improved nose wheel steering and an enhancement of its thermal protection system. It was last refurbished in 1999.

Scientists found three cracks last July in Columbia's stainless steel liners used to direct the flow of super-cold hydrogen fuel to the main engines. Similar cracks had been discovered in other ships in the fleet. Age was not considered a factor in the cracks because they were found in NASA's oldest and newest shuttles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report



Complete Coverage of Columbia's STS-107 Mission
Promising New Comet Called NEAT Graces Evening Sky
Space Station Crew Can Hold Out Until June if Needed
Shuttle Catastrophe to Stir Political; Policy Decision Making
Columbia's Problems Began on Left Wing
Three Committees to Probe Space Shuttle
SPACE.com: More News Headlines




７） White House: No Indication Terrorism Involved in US Shuttle Disaster
Scott Stearns
Washington
01 Feb 2003, 17:40 UTC

→　http://www.voa.gov/


US Shuttle Columbia breaks up during landing, Saturday
The White House says there is no indication that terrorism was involved in Saturday's apparent breakup of the space shuttle Columbia, minutes before it was due to land in Florida.

President Bush was briefed on the disaster Saturday morning by chief of staff Andrew Card, and decided to return to the White House from the presidential retreat at Camp David, where he was scheduled to spend the weekend. Just before the president's arrival, the White House flag was lowed to half staff.


Shuttle crew
Spokesman Scott McClellan says Mr. Bush spoke with NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe about 10:30 a.m. local time, and will continue to be briefed throughout the day.

Mr. McClellan says White House staff also notified Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

A Bush administration official says, there is currently no indication that terrorism was involved, but the incident is being investigated fully. Flight controllers lost contact with the space shuttle at an altitude of about 61,000 meters, well beyond the range of surface-to-air missiles.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has been in touch with local officials in the states of Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arizona about procedures for collecting debris from the fallen shuttle. The U.S. space agency is warning civilians to stay away from any debris as it may contain hazardous materials.

U.S. officials have also spoken with the Israeli government, as one of the astronauts on the shuttle was Israeli air force colonel Ilan Ramon.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office released a statement saying the government and people of Israel "are praying together with the entire world for the safety of the astronauts."

Mr. Ramon was the first Israeli to fly in space. His presence on the flight brought about increased security both at the launch and its expected landing.





TA追記）「国土安全省」＝Homeland Security Department
→　http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/



2003年2月2日 08時17分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）が発見された！

１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万８９６９！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！







”立命館大英語対策２００３年２月２日（日）”



（１）[ケータイモード](新)立命館頻出


１）高校入試なら、形式主語の it　が狙われる。

　　　例）It is necessary to study hard.

　　　　　　It ＝　to study hard


２）大学入試なら、強調構文の it　が狙われる。

　　　例）It was Nancy that (＝who) broke the dishes.

＝「その皿を割ったのはナンシーだった。」

次の『強調構文の疑問文』は、強調構文に一見みえないせいか、だまされる受験生が後を絶たない。

「その皿を割ったのは誰でしたか？」（強調構文の疑問詞疑問文タイプ）

＝ Who was it that broke the dishes?

(was, it, thatがあるので、この英文が強調構文であるのは、明らかだろう。 Who broke the dishes?を、強調構文に変形したもの。）


３）大学入試では、強調構文の that に、下線が引いてある場合が多い。

４）大学入試では、同格の that も、関関同立（かんかんどうりつ）では、超頻出。

　　　例）「彼の死の知らせ」＝「彼が死んだという知らせ」

　　　　　　the news of his death (the news ＝　his death となるから、"『同格』の of" )

＝　the news that he died (the news ＝　he died　となるから、"『同格』の that")


５）（応用例）私は、彼の死んだという知らせを聞いた。

　　　　　＝ I heard the news that he had died.

　　　　　＝　I heard the news of his death.





（２）NEW! 並び替えのコツ


「英文並び替え問題」

１．要するに､「無生物主語」は狙われる。

　　「なぜ君はそう考えるのか」

　　　⇒ What makes you think so?


２．「遠くに比叡山が見える」

⇒ a distant view of Mt. Hiei


３．「ケイトはその少女を救おうとして」

　　　⇒　Kate's attempt to save the girl

４．要するに、要するに、「融通の利かない石頭は×なのね」「然り！」





（３）最後に受験生のみなさんに以下のアドバイスをしたいと思います。


1．無理な試験スケジュールをたてない（中休みみたいなものをつくると
体調を整えたり出題形式が変わったりしたときの対策に時間が
とれていいと思います）

2．今更新しいこと（参考書を買うとか）をしない

3．他人にやたらとかかわらない（風邪をもらうし、やたらとなぐさめあったり
おちこんだりする人が多いから。）

4．試験会場までの行き方をしっかり確認する。





→モバイル版目でみる英語：立命館大英語＋３０⇒http://uo.net/i/ritsucat


2003年2月2日 07時53分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）が発見された！

１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万８９６７！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！






”My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At 9:00 a.m. this morning・・・”



０）悲劇＝tragedy＝ｔラッジディ[反対語]コッメディ＝cOmedy＝喜劇
災害＝disAster＝ディザッスタァ
大災害＝catAstrophe＝キャタッスｔロフィィ
生存者＝survIvor＝サヴァィヴァァ
宇宙飛行士＝astronaut＝アッスｔロノーｔ
乗組員＝crew＝ｋルーー
スペース・シャトル＝space shuttle
原因＝cause＝コーーズ[反対語]effect;result＝エフェｋｔ；リザルｔ＝結果





１）”シャトル「生存者いない」…米大統領”；海外ニュース - 2月2日(日)4時26分

　ブッシュ米大統領は１日午後（日本時間２日未明）、ホワイトハウスでテレビ演説し、スペースシャトルの事故について「生存者はいない。乗組員はアメリカという偉大な国のために命を落とした。遺族に心から哀悼の意を表したい」と述べた。（読売新聞）
[2月2日4時26分更新]





２）Yahoo! News Sat, Feb 01, 2003


Full Coverage
More about
Space Shuttle
Related News Stories
• World Leaders Express Condolences Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
• India Mourns Loss of Astronaut Chawla Associated Press (Feb 1, 2003)
• Shuttle Debris Rains on Texas, Blackens Earth Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
Feature Articles
• Profiles of Shuttle Columbia's Crew Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
• Key Space Shuttle Missions Since 1981 Reuters (Feb 1, 2003)
Mission STS-111
• STS-111
• Shuttle Countdown Status
• STS-111 Shuttle Press Kit
Mission STS-112
• STS-112
• Shuttle Countdown Status
• STS-112 Shuttle Press Kit
Mission STS-113
• STS-113
• Shuttle Countdown Status
• STS-113 Shuttle Press Kit
Related Web Sites
• NASA Space Shuttle
• NASA Kennedy Space Center
• Upcoming Space Shuttle Launches
Mission STS-107
• STS-107
• Shuttle Countdown Status
• STS-107 Shuttle Press Kit


News Resources
 Providers
 Reuters
 Space.com
 AP
News Alerts
 international space station
 NASA
 Ariel Sharon
 Kennedy Space Center
 President Bush


Advanced
Science - AP

7 Astronauts Die As Shuttle Breaks Apart
8 minutes ago Add Science - AP to My Yahoo!


By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

Space shuttle Columbia disintegrated 39 miles over Texas on Saturday in a meteoric streak that rained smoking debris over hundreds of miles of countryside. All seven astronauts were lost, a tragedy that echoed the Challenger explosion almost exactly 17 years earlier.



The catastrophe occurred in the last 16 minutes of the 16-day mission as the spaceship glided in for a landing in Florida.


"The Columbia is lost," said President Bush (news - web sites), after he telephoned the families of the astronauts to console them.


"The same creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today," Bush said, his eyes glistening. "The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth but we can pray they are safely home."


The cause of the tragedy was not immediately known. An independent commission was appointed to investigate. One potential focus: possible damage to Columbia's protective thermal tiles on the left wing from a flying piece of debris during liftoff. NASA (news - web sites) said the first indication of trouble Saturday was the loss of temperature sensors in that wing's hydraulic system.


The spacecraft had just re-entered the atmosphere and had reached the point at which it was subjected to the highest temperatures.


Authorities said there was no indication of terrorism; at 207,135 feet, the shuttle was out of range of any surface-to-air missile, one senior government official said. Security was extraordinarily tight on this mission because Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut, was among the crew members.


Television footage showed a bright light followed by white smoke plumes streaking diagonally across the brilliant, blue sky. Debris appeared to break off into separate balls of light as it continued downward.


"We saw it coming across the sky real bright and shiny and all in one piece. We thought it was the sun shining off an airplane," said Doug Ruby, who was driving with his father along a Texas highway, headed for a fishing trip. "Then it broke up in about six pieces — they were all balls of fire — before it went over the tree line."


Pieces of the spacecraft were found in several east Texas counties and in Louisiana. There was at least one report of human remains recovered — in Hemphill, Texas, near the Louisiana line, a hospital employee on his way to work reported finding what appeared to be a charred torso, thigh bone and skull on a rural road near what was believed to be other debris.


The Army's 1st Cavalry Division sent a helicopter search-and-rescue task force from Fort Hood, Texas. NASA also asked members of the public to help in its search for debris, but warned people not to touch the pieces because they might be contaminated with toxic propellants.


The shuttle flight was the 113th in the shuttle program's 22 years and the 28th flight for Columbia, NASA oldest shuttle.


The horrific end of shuttle mission STS-107 was a devastating blow to the nation's space program; the Challenger explosion led to a 2 1/2-year moratorium on launches, and Saturday's accident could bring construction of the international space station (news - web sites) to a standstill.


The shuttle delivers components of the space station to be installed; it also carries crews to and from the station. The three astronauts now on board the station could return to Earth at a moment's notice via a Russian vehicle attached to the space station.


Six shuttle flights had been planned for 2003 — five of them to the space station. The next was scheduled for March 1.


The loss of seven explorers of space's dark reaches — shuttle commander Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, William McCool and Ramon — brought a new round of grief to a nation still in mourning after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.


"We trust the prayers of the nation will be with them and with their families. A more courageous group of people you could not have hoped to know," said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe.


Columbia had been scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center (news - web sites) at 9:16 a.m.

Shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore said "there was no indication of any impending threats to the vehicle." Then there was a loss of data from temperature sensors on the left wing, followed by a loss of data from tire pressure indicators on the left main landing gear.

The final radio transmission between Mission Control and the shuttle, at 9 a.m., gave little indication of any trouble.

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.

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, in her Dallas neighborhood, said she heard a "boom, which I thought was the breaking of the sound barrier" — and it may have been just that, because the shuttle was traveling at 12,500 mph, 18 times the speed of sound.

"The barn started shaking and we ran out and started looking around," said Benjamin Laster of Kemp, Texas. "I saw a puff of vapor and smoke and saw big chunk of material fall."

On the edge of downtown Nacogdoches, 135 miles northeast of Houston, a National Guardsman stood watch over a steel rod with silver bolts that landed in the grass outside a yard. People streamed up to take photos of the debris.

Dentist Jeff Hancock said a metal bracket about a foot long had crashed through his office roof.

"It's all over Nacogdoches," said James Milford, owner of a barber shop in downtown. "There are several little pieces, some parts of machinery. ... There's been a lot of pieces about 3 feet wide."

In 42 years of U.S. human spaceflight, there had never been an accident during the descent to Earth or landing.

Two hours after the shuttle had been expected to land, the giant screen at the front of Mission Control showed a map of the southwest United States and what should have been Columbia's flight path. The American flag next to the center's countdown clock was lowered to half-staff.

O'Keefe met with the astronauts' families, who had been waiting at the landing site for the shuttle's return. Six of the seven astronauts were married, and five had children.

The shuttle is essentially a glider during the hour-long decent from orbit toward the landing strip. It is covered by about 20,000 thermal tiles to protect against temperatures as high as 3,000 degrees.

On Jan. 16, shortly after Columbia lifted off, a piece of insulating foam on its external fuel tank came off and was believed to have hit the left wing of the shuttle. Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, had assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard.

"As we look at that now in hindsight, we can't discount that there might be a connection," Dittemore said Saturday. "But we have to caution that we can't rush to judgment, because a lot of things in this business that look like the smoking gun but turn out not to be close."

Columbia's crew had completed 80-plus scientific research experiments during their time in orbit. It was a relatively inexperienced crew; only three — Husband, Anderson and Chawla — had ever flown before.

The others were rookies, including Ramon, the 48-year-old Israeli Air Force colonel. A former fighter pilot who survived two wars, he carried into space a small pencil drawing titled "Moon Landscape" by Peter Ginz, a 14-year-old Jewish boy killed at Auschwitz.

"The state of Israel and its citizens are as one at this difficult time," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites)'s office said in a statement.

Just in the past week, NASA observed the anniversary of its only two other space tragedies, the Challenger explosion on Jan. 28, 1986, and the Apollo spacecraft fire that killed three on Jan. 27, 1967.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE — Marcia Dunn, the AP's aerospace writer, has covered NASA since 1990.

___

On the Net:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Story: Mission Control Heard Only Silence (AP)

More Science Stories
· Columbia Destroyed During Re-Entry, Crew Lost (SPACE.com)
· Shuttle Debris Rains on Texas, Blackens Earth (Reuters)
· Columbia Missing on Re-Entry, Crew Presumed Lost (SPACE.com)
· Shuttle Columbia Disaster, Seven Astronauts Dead (Reuters)
· Promising New Comet Called NEAT Graces Evening Sky (SPACE.com)




３）President Addresses Nation on Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy
Remarks by the President on the Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia
The Cabinet Room

→WHITE HOUSE （ホワイトハウス）；http://www.whitehouse.gov/


2:04 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At 9:00 a.m. this morning, Mission Control in Houston lost contact with our Space Shuttle Columbia. A short time later, debris was seen falling from the skies above Texas. The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors.

On board was a crew of seven: Colonel Rick Husband; Lt. Colonel Michael Anderson; Commander Laurel Clark; Captain David Brown; Commander William McCool; Dr. Kalpana Chawla; and Ilan Ramon, a Colonel in the Israeli Air Force. These men and women assumed great risk in the service to all humanity.

In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easy to overlook the dangers of travel by rocket, and the difficulties of navigating the fierce outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more.

All Americans today are thinking, as well, of the families of these men and women who have been given this sudden shock and grief. You're not alone. Our entire nation grieves with you. And those you loved will always have the respect and gratitude of this country.

The cause in which they died will continue. Mankind is led into the darkness beyond our world by the inspiration of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on.

In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."

The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.

May God bless the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.

END 2:08 P.M. EST



2003年2月2日 01時04分
Feb.２nd(second), Sun. ２００３。「関関同立入試」第２日。スペースシャトル「コロンビア」の残骸（＝debris＝[debrEE; dEbree]＝デｂリーー/デッブリー）が発見された！

１月２７日（月）～２月５日（水） 各国公立大学の出願受付。願書取り寄せ急げ！「センターリサーチ判定C」は「予備校覚悟」で頑張りぬけ！「リサーチ判定B]は、既得権益を掠め（かすめ）取られるな！



１０万８９３３！
＝「センター試験には悪魔が住んでいた」対「センターには勝利の女神が住んでいる」

”アクセス『１０００００[＝拾万]突破』”＝カｍサハｍニダ＝大感謝！






”スペースシャトル「コロンビア」空中分解か？テキサス州で破片らしきもの発見とのニュース”


１）米スペースシャトル、空中分解か；海外ニュース - 2月2日(日)0時45分

→　http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20030201-00000015-yom-int

【ワシントン＝笹沢教一】初のイスラエル人宇宙飛行士が搭乗した米スペースシャトル「コロンビア」は米東部時間１日午前９時１６分（日本時間同午後１１時１６分）に米フロリダ州のケネディ宇宙センターに帰還する予定だったが、同９時ごろから通信が途絶えた。

　米航空宇宙局（ＮＡＳＡ）は非常時体制を敷いて行方を捜している。

　米テキサス州上空ではコロンビアから放出されたと見られる破片が飛行経路の後部に放出され、シャトル本体の空中分解など重大事態が起きた恐れもある。

　今回のシャトルは、イスラエル人が搭乗したことから打ち上げ時は軍隊も出動する厳戒体制が敷かれ、着陸時も、同じ体制を敷いて帰還を待っていた。１６日間の飛行は順調で、日本の学生が計画したメダカの孵化観察など８０件以上の宇宙実験が行われた。日本人宇宙飛行士の向井千秋さんも地上で支援した。（読売新聞）
[2月2日0時45分更新]





２）Space Shuttle Apparently Disintegrates　14 minutes ago
Advanced Science - AP

→　http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=Science&cat=Space_Shuttle

By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Columbia apparently disintegrated in flames over Texas minutes before it was to land Saturday. TV video showed what appeared to be falling debris, as NASA (news - web sites) declared an emergency and warned residents to beware of fallen objects.


Residents in north Texas reported hearing "a big bang" at about 9 a.m., the same time all radio and data communication with the shuttle and its crew of seven was lost.


In Washington, officials said President Bush (news - web sites) had been informed and was awaiting more information from NASA. Officials said there was no indication of terrorism.


Six Americans and Israel's first astronaut were on board Columbia.


Inside Mission Control, flight controllers hovered in front of their computers, staring at the screens. The wives, husbands and children of the astronauts who had been waiting at the landing strip were gathered together by NASA and taken to secluded place.


"A contingency for the space shuttle has been declared," Mission Control repeated over and over as no word or any data came from Columbia.


In 42 years of U.S. human space flight, there had never been an accident during the descent to Earth or landing. On Jan. 28, 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff.


On Jan. 16, shortly after Columbia lifted off, a piece of insulating foam on its external fuel tank came off and was believed to have hit the left wing of the shuttle. Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard.


Columbia had been aiming for a landing at 9:16 a.m. Saturday.


It was at an altitude of 207,000 feet over north-central Texas at a 9 a.m., traveling at 12,500 mph when Mission Control lost all contact and tracking data.


Gary Hunziker in Plano said he saw the shuttle flying overhead. "I could see two bright objects flying off each side of it," he told The Associated Press. "I just assumed they were chase jets."


Television footage showed a bright light followed by smoke plumes streaking diagonally through the sky. Debris appeared to break off into separate balls of light as it continued downward.


Security had been tight for the 16-day scientific research mission because of the presence of Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut.


Ramon, 48, a colonel in Israel's air force and former fighter pilot, had survived two wars. He became the first man from his country to fly in space, and his presence resulted in an increase in security, not only for Columbia's launch, but also for its planned landing. Space agency officials feared his presence might make the shuttle more of a terrorist target.


Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites)'s office said it had no immediate comment Saturday.


A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was no threat made against the flight and that the shuttle, at an altitude of 207,000 feet over north-central Texas when it lost contact, was out of range of a surface-to-air missile.


Columbia's crew had completed 80-plus scientific research experiments during their time in orbit.


Only two of the seven astronauts had flown in space before, the shuttle's commander, Rick Husband, and Kalpana Chawla. The other five were rookies: pilot William McCool and Michael Anderson, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Ramon.

Just in the past week, NASA observed the anniversary of its only two other space tragedies, the Challenger explosion, which killed all seven astronauts on board, and the Apollo space craft fire that killed three on Jan. 27, 1967.