Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 26

10A FLORIDA TODAY, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003 How will tragedy affect other policy" it'" President's remarics My fellow Americans, this day A has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At 9 a.m. this morning, Mission Con Columbia adds new measure of challenge fop President Bush trol In Houston lUSl tumau wuu our space shuttle CoiumDia. a chnrt tima later debris was seen falling from the skies above Texas.

he Columbia is lost; mere are no survivors. Dn hnarrl was crew Of SBVSn: sat- aiv Bush at a moment when conflicts at home and abroad are peaking. The crash immediately thrust Bush back into a role in which he, and other presidents, have excelled: functioning as a father figure to comfort the nation at a moment of shock. "At a time like this, where we are sitting here with enormous uncertainty and unease, you really do look to the president to give you a sense of reassurance," said Whit Ayres, Republican pollster. Colonel Rick Husband, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anderson, Com- mander Laurel Clark, Captain Da-: vid Brown; Commander William In subtle ways, the focus on the Columbia could strengthen BusH's hand in the policy maneuvering over the next few days although it is unlikely the disaster signtfi-cantly will change the political environment over the longer-term.

The crash could have political fall-out in two respects: enhancing Bush's stature and reducing, at least over the short term, public tolerance for partisan conflict. Both of those dynamics could help when Bush will be releasing a new federal budget on Monday brimming with controversial proposals and dispatching U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the United Nations on Wednesday to try to solidify international support for an attack on Iraq. "Any time you have a national tragedy like this, virtually everything else takes a back seat, as it should," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic political consultant By Ronald Brownstein Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON The Mure of space shuttle Columbia adds a new measure of uncertainty and drama to an agenda already crowded with political and diplomatic challenges for President The shuttle tragedy is bound to consume enormous attention from the media and the public at a time McCool, Doctor Kalpana Chawia and Han Ramon, a colonel in the Israeli Air Force. These men and women assumed great risk iri the service to an numanity.

In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easu tn nverlnnk the danoers of travel by rocket, and the difficul ties ot navigating tne Tierce outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts knew the dangers, and "Yes, it is a risky business, but you do everything you can, in your training and in the design and in the testing and in the multiple reviews that go on to minimize those risks. Once you make that decision, you do exactly what all astronauts do: You go forward with a happy heart." Barbara Morgan, In an April 2002 Interview tney tacea mem winingiy, Knowmu they had a high and noble purpose in life Because of their couraae Accident shocks world leaders and daring and idealism, we will miss them an tne more. All Americans today are think-. ing, as well, of the families of i these men and women who have been given this sudden shock and grief.

You're not alone. Our entire nation arieves with vou. And those you loved will always have the re spect ana gratituae ot mis coun- try. The cause in which thev 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. J1 If In the skies today we saw de struction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the Associated Press British Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute Saturday to the seven "courageous" crew members of space shuttle Columbia as lead-ers around the world mourned the astronauts' deaths. Government officials around the world expressed shock and i sadness at the tragedy: Belgium: Minister for Scientific Research Charles Picque expressed regret at the "immense human tragedy." Canada: The seven on board were accom-' plished women and men of great who put their extraordinary skills and knowledge to the service of humankind," Prime Minister Jean Chretien said in a statement "Each one was a hero.

Their contribution to science and space exploration will never be forgotten." France: "In the name of the French people, forever a friend to the American people, I express to prophet isaian, un your eyes ana ook 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 ms great power ana mignty strength, not one of them is 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 nome. Mav God bless the arievina families, and may Godcontinue to AP The Associated Press you the profound emotion and feeling of solidarity in the ordeal that all my compatriots are feel- ing," President Jacques Chirac in va letter to Bush. Germany: In a letter of condolence to Bush, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder paid tribute to the "courageous men and women Who died in the "terrible tragedy." India: "For us in India, the fact that one of them (the astro-'nauts) was an India-born woman adds a special poignancy to the Barbara Morgan, a former Idaho school teacher who is sched- edy Saturday.

Morgan, 51, was in Florida to help NASA with uled for space travel, found herself immersed in a national trag- preparations for the landing of shuttle Columbia. Leaders react "A lot of homes, families and mortgages are at stake here," State Rep. Bob Allen. Merrlrt Island "First, they're tellino vou. 'It's mm tragedy," said Prime Minister Atal Bihan Vajpayee, referring to Kal- going to come In from this direction, and here's where It's aolno to pana Chawla.

"Our hearts go out to the families of the bright young men and women who worked on land. Then, they're telling you, no, It's not going to land." SfflHII that spacecraft." State Sen. Mike Fasano, New Port Rlchey, visiting Kennedy Space Center It's always been an honor to ji Israel: The state of Israel -and its citizens are as one at this difficult time," Sharon's office said i in a statement, after the death of snow ousiness Israeli astronaut Han Ramon, 7 ilk. r-- Italy: Premier Silvio said he was "deeolv shaken Morgan planned to 'chase' shuttle for touchdown i by today's tragedy. In the name of 1 4 the Italian people and govern and officials the excitement and the expertise of NASA.

Today we witnessed how dangerous it Is and how heroic It Is at tha sama time ment, I express condolences and 11; -7 solidarity with the families of the victims and with the American President Carlo Azeglio (Ciampi also sent a messages of condolence to Bush. 1 European Union: Commission President Romano Prodi told Italian news agencies in Bologna the "enormous tragedy" occurred Tim Franta, Florida Space Authority "It's a tragic day not only for America but for the whole world, especially for the families." Sen. Bill Nelson, Tallahassee By Tim Woodward The Idaho Statesman It was Barbara Morgan's worst nightmare repeating itself. Morgan, who was Christa McAullffe's teacher-in-space backup for the fatal 1986 Challenger flight was in a plane shadowing the Columbia space shuttle when it broke up on reentry Saturday over Texas. Morgan had been scheduled to fly on Columbia next November.

Tm sure her mind went back to 16 years the service of progress, sa XJ1 ence and in this case, we can really say humanity." I 1 1 Ml 1111111111 i Luxembourg: The United tStates has written most of the most beautiful pages in the his-ffory of space conquest," Prime i Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said FLORIDA TODAY file photo Christa McAullffe, the first teacher In space, trained with astronaut Barbara Morgan, who was her backup for the Challenger mission. "When they do not return to us, we are reminded that the spirit of exploration and discovery cannot be realized without great risk, and sometimes fin a message to Bush. "However this accident reminds us that con- quest and the progress of science tm the interests ot humanity, which is so closely linked to it, re Astronaut reprises role of comforting Associated Press WASHINGTON Barbara Morgan, the first teacher scheduled for space travel since the Challenger disaster, found herself again immersed in a national tragedy Saturday. Morgan, 51, was in Florida to help NASA with preparations for the landing of space shuttle Columbia. The landing never came: Columbia broke apart over Texas, 16 minutes before its scheduled touchdown in Florida.

"She was very excited about today, and when she called after the accident, she was just very busy," Morgan's husband, Clay, said Saturday. "It was just like after the Challenger," he said. "She's just focusing on what she can do to help people. She had seven friends on Columbia." Now a full-time astronaut, Morgan gained fame as the teacher-in-space backup for Christa McAuliffe, whom she befriended during training for the Challenger mission. NASA suspended the teacher-in-space program after McAuliffe, a New Hampshire educator, and six crew mates died.

Morgan continued working with NASA as she returned to elementary-school teaching in fall 1986. NASA revived the program in 1998 and required her to go through complete training as an astronaut. She was scheduled to fly as an education mission specialist aboard Columbia to the International Space Station in November. All missions were put on hold after Columbia's destruction Saturday. Saturday's shuttle disaster came 11 days after NASA launched an effort to recruit more teachers as astronauts, one that drew more than 1,000 nominations within three days.

"Yes, it is a risky business, but you do everything you can, in your training and in the design and in the testing and in the multiple reviews that go on to mmimize those risks," Morgan, a mother of two sons, said in an April2002 interview. "Once you make that decision, you do exactly what all the astronauts do: you go forward with a happy heart." mains a project full of dangers. We're trying to figure out what happened and see what impact that will have on future flights. JJ Don Slckorez, NASA spokesman Mexico: The Foreign Relations Department "expressed its condolences to the government and people of the United btates. great sacrifice." Gov.

Jab Bush "I feel sick to my stomach. Every muscle In my body hurts. I feel like I want to throw up. State Sen. Bill Posey, Rockledge "This Is a national tragedy.

But we must remain committed to the space program. It created Brevard, and I know we will figure out what happened and what to do to make things better so we can bring our crew members home safely even time." State Rep. Mike Harldopolos, Suntree ago," her husband, Clay Morgan, said from their home in Houston. "It has to be devastating for her. They were all friends." Clay Morgan said his wife and a NASA pilot were in a shuttle training aircraft reconfigured to fly and land like a shuttle.

They planned to "meet the shuttle coming in and be the chase plane. Then they were to land and help the astronauts," he said. His wife called him after me plane landed. "She didn't say what she was able to see" of the accident he said. "She Just called to say that she was OK and very busy.

Later, she called back from crew headquarters, where she was helping the families of the crew. "She was at crew headquarters for the Challenger, too, and all she did that day was work as hard as she could to try to make people feel better. She was comforting people and taking calls for them, and that's what she's doing this time." Morgan, 51, has waited more than 16 years for her chance to go into space, which seemed remote after the Challenger disaster. The teacher-in-space program was suspended and 12 years passed before she could begin astronaut training again at Johnson Space Center in Houston. She has since finished her astronaut training and has been receiving specialized train- Poland: Prime Minister i Leszek Miller sent lettters of con dolence to Bush and Sharon, gov-J rnment spokesman Michal Tober said.

,4 The astronauts gave their I lives on the altar of science," i Adam Michalec, a researcher at the Space Observatory of the re-spected Jagiellonian University in Krakow, southern Poland, told the Polish news agency PAP. Russia: President Vladimir i Putin called Bush to express his 'condolences, the presidential press service said. Putin also sent a telegram of condolence to the Israeli prime minister. Vatican City; Pope John JPaul II received the news with great sadness and prayed for the astronauts during services, a Vatican official said on condition of anonymity. ing as an educator mission specialist for a flight that had been planned for next fall.

How Saturday's tragedy will affect her dream of being the first American to teach from space isn't certain. "We're trying to figure out what happened and see what impact that will have on future flights," NASA spokesman Don Sicko-rez said from Houston. "If it was something absolutely unique to this flight, things probably would proceed with other flights. If it was something that could happen to other shuttles, we would ground the fleet and make sure it never happened again." Those who know Morgan best say she's likely to want to move forward quickly. Patricia Morgan, her mother-in-law who lives in Boise, Idaho, said Saturday the tragedy is likely to "make her as determined as ever to ahead.

If they let her, I think she'll go." M' 1 II PHI "I'm still In shock over this. It's another tragedy for America." State Rep. (1 Needelman, Palm Bav.