    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [February 1, 2003]
    [Pages 119-120]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Address to the Nation on the Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia
    February 1, 2003

        My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great
    sadness to our country. At 9 o'clock 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: Col. Rick Husband; Lt. Col. Michael Anderson;
    Comdr. Laurel Clark; Blair Salton Capt. David
    Brown; Comdr. William McCool; Dr. Kalpana Chawla; and Ilan
    Ramon, a colonel in the

    [[Page 120]]

    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.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:04 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address. The proclamation of February 1
    honoring the memory of the astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Columbia is
    listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.