In case you hadn’t heard, contact with the space shuttle Columbia was lost shortly after 9:00 a.m. Eastern time this morning as it began reentry from its recent orbital mission, heading for a landing in Florida. Multiple contrails were seen in the sky and debris has fallen over central Texas. There was no indication of any difficulties aboard the craft in prior communication with NASA. While not acknowledging that the vehicle had exploded or fragmented, NASA warned area residents of the dangers of the debris and cleanup crews are working in the area. There does not appear to be any possibility, it probably goes without saying, that any of the astronauts on the crew could have survived. Security for the flight was tight because of the presence of an Israeli astronaut, who had been selected in 1995 to be a guest on a US shuttle mission. There are no indications of terrorist actions in the shuttle’s destruction. Warnings From NASA on Falling Debris; Bush Calls Meeting NY Times. My thoughts are with the astronauts’ loved ones. Let’s hope there is not a media feeding frenzy upon their private grief in days to come.