A STATEMENT FROM THE FAMILIES OF COLUMBIA

On January 16th, we saw our loved ones launch into a brilliant, cloud-free sky. Their hearts were full of enthusiasm, pride in country, faith in their God, and a willingness to accept risk in the pursuit of knowledge - knowledge that might improve the quality of life for all mankind. Columbia’s 16-day mission of scientific discovery was a great success, cut short by mere minutes - yet it will live on forever in our memories. We want to thank the NASA family and people from around the world for their incredible outpouring of love and support. Although we grieve deeply, as do the families of Apollo 1 and Challenger before us, the bold exploration of space must go on. Once the root cause of this tragedy is found and corrected, the legacy of Columbia must carry on - for the benefit of our children and yours.

 
* This web site has been developed by Wyle, a life sciences support contractor at the NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, in response to requests for information concerning donations to the families of Columbia's STS-107 crew. The information on this page represents some of the funds that have been established to help the Space Shuttle Columbia families. However, due to the existence of fraudulent funds, you should use caution when you are considering giving donations to any fund not shown here. To contact Wyle, please go to www.wyle.com or send e-mail to service@wyle.com.