The STS-107 mission patch will remain on the page until the shuttle resumes flight in honor of the Columbia crew who gave the last full measure in service to their countries and the hundreds of thousands of Americans who give their best every day to explore space and push the frontiers of our collective imagination.
The SF Bay Area contributes technology and support to NASA, the Hubble and the shuttle program. Many are small businesses. Local news coverage interviewed a few and the one theme that ran through them all was that they were inspired by astronauts of previous decades and thusly they fell in love with science/space at at tender age. That says much about our character and the men and women of all nations who journey into the unknown. Of all the myriad species that have lived and passed off this small blue orb spinning in space...only we look at the sky and wonder.
As did I last night...a perfect crystal clear cold winter sky...it is both vastly empty and overwhelmingly full. So many times I have watched the shuttle streak overhead. Just a week ago the Columbia passed over as I walked Harley. I waved...I always do. Silly I know, but there is something so connecting about it, knowing people like me are inside a trail of star dust.
Stephen Green put it exactly right for this old stargazer:
"They turned into shooting stars so bright, you could see them against the morning sun."