DF 27 - Columbia STS 107

February 2003

Dear Friends

I'm sitting here stunned and hopeless in my apartment in Los Angeles, re-reading yesterday's LA Sunday Times. The headline reads 'Columbia Is Lost'.

On behalf of all of us here, and those of you who read this, I send love and deep respect to J.P. Harrison, and all the other friends, families and colleagues of Columbia's final crew.

It may seem odd at such a time, but the strongest image of them all, that I personally retain from this whole experience, is Kalpana Chawla's wide and wonderful smile.

Ian Gillan