On behalf of all the people of NASA, and in particular those that knew and worked with the STS-107 crew, we would like to thank you for your messages of consolation and support. The last five days have been difficult as we recover from the loss of family, friends, comrades, and compatriots.
In our name they willingly strapped themselves to four million pounds of explosives and hurtled to the skies. With full understanding of the risks, they sought knowledge that was destined to enrich us all. Let their legacy not be one of grief and mourning. Instead, remember them for the pursuit of excellence and quest for knowledge that they embodied.
This crew had a special role in the world of FIRST. Three of them – Dave, KC and Lauren – volunteered their time as judges and speakers at several of the regional competitions over the past years. Despite the overwhelming schedule demands placed on active crew members, they always made the time to encourage the next generation of explorers, inventors, and scientists. Their lives and actions personified the values of inspiration and education that are shared by NASA and FIRST. They represented the best of both communities, and for that they will always be remembered.
Because of the significance the crew of STS-107 had to many of those in FIRST, we will be collecting the messages from FIRST team members and passing them to the astronaut office and crew families. Relevant electronic messages will be collected from the existing appropriate threads from this forum. If you do not wish to publicly post, but would like to include a message, you may e-mail it to
dave.lavery@hq.nasa.gov to have it included. Likewise, hard copy messages will be gathered and forwarded to the astronaut office. They may be sent to:
Dave Lavery
NASA Headquarters
Mail Stop SM
300 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20546
As a final note, there have been several discussions about various types of symbolic memorials that may be incorporated into competition robots this year. We gratefully acknowledge the intent and sentiment behind any such display. We do ask that, should your team choose to incorporate the STS-107 mission patch in such a design, that it be displayed in a simple unadorned manner consistent with the patch design (as originally designed by the STS-107 crew).
