WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO COLUMBIA
By Jerry Woodfill
This,
the first Thursday in May, 2005, is designated the National Day of Prayer. Such
a day causes one to reflect on prayer, on God’s keeping and care for all of
us. For me this concerned the loss of our beloved Columbia astronauts.
What prompted my reflections was agreeing to be a prayer “backup” for one of
our Johnson Space Center astronauts should he be unable to attend. Sometimes,
those in our astronaut corps have unscheduled duties interfering with offsite
events. Today, our astronaut came and prayed a terrific prayer for our space
program as well as the crew scheduled to liftoff in July. The July mission
would be the first since Columbia’s loss February 1, 2003.
In years past, I had prayed as a substitute for an absent astronaut, but not today. Nevertheless, the chance that I might be called on led to the reflections which follow. These deal with that heart-wrenching event of more than two years ago, Columbia ’s demise.
In several weeks, June 14th, I’ll celebrate my 40th anniversary as a NASA employee. In 1965, my workplace had been called the Manned Spacecraft Center but now is known as the Johnson Space Center. In the course the past four decades, I’ve experienced the “thrill of our victories and the agony of our defeats,” the landing of Eagle, July 20, 1969, the rescue of Apollo 13, April of 1970, the launch of Columbia, April 12, 1981, and the successes of our space station endeavors but conversely: the lost of Gus Grissom and his Apollo One crew, January 27, 1967 in a dreadful launch pad fire, the tragedy of Challenger, the morning of January 28, 1986, and finally, the sorrowful reentry of Columbia, Saturday morning, February 1, 2003. Whether there were cheers or tears, the underlying hand of God was always evident.
So one might wonder, “How can God be present in something so horrific as what we as a nation, and especially, a NASA community, experienced watching Columbia’s fiery, fatal reentry over Texas that Saturday in 2003?” That’s what I had wanted to share at the Noon service should I have been asked.
At the onset of my NASA career, I’d been assigned the spacecraft warning systems for the Apollo program. As such, I was monitoring my system at the space center the day Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Similarly, on that April 13th, 1970 evening, I heard in my headset, “Houston, We’ve Had a Problem.” In the latter instance, what I experienced participating in the Apollo 13 rescue led to an understanding that prayer does make a difference. I was so impressed with Apollo 13’s outcome that I began a search for the God of the Bible. My search was rewarded one Saturday morning in February of 1972. I responded to Christ’s call at a meeting of Christian Business Men in Houston, Texas.
Since that time, an inner motivation compelled me to share those miraculous events which brought our Apollo 13 crew home safely. Not being an ordained pastor, or Bible teacher, evangelist, or even a church deacon, my role has been to simply share what God did. This led to more than 600 such opportunities in the two decades subsequent to that week in April 1970. Yet, the testimony had been of lessening interest as Moon landings, were replaced by the Shuttle and Space Station in the public eye. Apollo was deemed astronomic antiquity. My wife even commented, “Put your Apollo 13 slides away, it happened too long ago.” But God resurrected the testimony when Tom Hanks and Ron Howard released the movie APOLLO 13, a Hollywood block-buster, which almost won the 1995 academy award for best picture of that year..
No, I wasn’t cast in the movie though there is a mention of a “Jerry”. I think that Jerry was supposed to be my friend Jerry Bostick whose son Mike worked for Ron Howard. Mike suggested Ron make a movie of Jim Lovell’s novel about Apollo 13. Mike had once been in my Sunday School class at the local Methodist Church. Jerry Bostick, Mike’s dad, served as a technical advisor and was the author of the quote: “FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.” But I like to believe that the “Jerry” called for was sort of a generic Jerry. I was one of at least four Jerry’s (and the least of them) who participated in the rescue.
However, I was most disappointed that no one had consulted me about all the specific prayers answered to rescue Apollo 13. After all, I’d been sharing them for 20 years in hundreds of meetings. “Lord, this isn’t fair,” I fretted, “Don’t you want people to know about what You did?” The Lord didn’t seem to answer my complaint, except to remind me of Scripture, the verse in Proverbs, “that He would make a way for each of us to exercise our gift.”
Despite the 1995 rebirth of interest in the Apollo 13 testimony, by 2002, again, requests for the account were infrequent, until a most unusual thing happened in the summer of 2002. An e-mail message came to me from a company in Hollywood affiliated with Universal Studios. Apollo 13, the movie, was to be re-released as an IMAX film. Since Apollo 13’s initial release, Christians had founded a new company to encourage Christian media outlets to advertise Hollywood movies with inspirational content. APOLLO 13 was such a movie. They had searched the Internet and discovered my SPACE ACTS web site which featured how prayers rescued Apollo 13. “Would you be our national spokesman to the Christian media for Apollo 13 IMAX?”
During the Summer and early Fall of 2002, I conducted 20 interviews to that end, of course, without financial compensation. You’ll still find web sites featuring comments about prayer bringing Apollo 13 home as a result of those interviews. Then one day, the mailman delivered a package, a long cardboard tube. Opening it, I found a huge movie poster featuring the APOLLO 13 IMAX film with Tom Hanks’ picture as Jim Lovell. An inscription was written in the center of the poster…”Jerry, Thanks for all your help! RON HOWARD.” I repented, “Yes, Lord…you made it possible to share what you had done.”
But I think the real purpose of delaying those Apollo 13 testimonies has to do with what happened February 1, 2003, especially, during the ensuring days, weeks, and years. As a result of the tragic Columbia loss, once again, NASA and those involved became a national focus. Like with Apollo One and Challenger, media interest increased exponentially in a matter of hours. When I came to work that Monday morning, there were messages for me. The same Christian media groups wanted to talk about Columbia from a Christian’s perspective. This was not about me. Rather, it was about the Columbia, it’s crew and their families. It was about the Lord and prayer in the midst of a sorrowful tragedy.
This morning, thinking about the national day of prayer, and what I might share, I thought about one of those interviews. It was with Billy Graham’s program DECISION TODAY and HOUR OF DECISION. I’d done the interview just after returning from the memorial service for the crew of Columbia. The service had been held that Tuesday morning, February 4th 2003 at the Johnson Space Center. President Bush had given a wonderful spiritual eulogy of each member of the crew. Each had sacrificed his or her live for America, science, and space exploration.
Nevertheless, I thought, what glory does God get from the knowledge that seven loved ones are now deceased, that a three billion dollar vehicle is refuse scattered across the state of Texas? As a Christian, I soon realized that such a story is altogether difficult to address, especially to the media whether Christian or secular. This was altogether opposite to those interviews done weeks before to testify of God’s goodness in answering prayers for Apollo 13. Because the audio of that interview remains on the internet, this morning I was able to replay what I had said more than two years ago. It’s on Billy Graham’s HOUR OF DECISION website in the archives as the April 6, 2003 program though it first was heard on the DAY OF DECISION program aired Thursday February 6, 2003. If you are interested in what I shared that day. Here is the link to it: http://www.billygraham.org/mediaPlayer/default.asp?clipId=12989 Following what I shared is a message by Billy Graham about the Scripture John 3:16. His message is an outstanding one that you will be much encouraged to hear. The remarkable thing about that interview was how God answered prayer for the Columbia families, NASA, and our nation.
Uncertain of what to share, I started by asking for Billy Graham’s audience to pray three specific prayers: 1) That the families of the Columbia crew would somehow be comforted by God. 2)That somehow, someway, we, NASA, would know specifically what had caused the accident so that the problem could be corrected to assure future men and women’s lives were not lost, and finally, 3) That somehow, someway God would take this terrible tragedy and make something good come from it for His glory.
Those prayers were answered miraculously. Indeed, they were equal or greater testimonies than the account of how prayer rescued the crew of Apollo 13:
1) In regard to praying for encouragement and comfort for the Columbia crew’s families: The Columbia crew had an onboard video recorder to capture daily events in their operations as a team of astronauts. Scores of video tape cassettes were collected and stowed during the course of the mission, yet, the only one found playable was the last recorded by those on board, just before reentry. Considering the extreme reentry heat of 3000 plus degrees F, it is unbelievable that mylar based video tape could survive! And what a wonderful account the tape was! Through it, the Columbia families viewed their loved ones doing what they were called to do…to explore the world of space and science with purpose, poise, and courage.
The crew expressed such joyfulness, respect and appreciation for one another that no one could doubt that they were doing what they had always dreamed of doing. In spite of the tragedy, they had run their course and finished it fulfilling their dreams. Such a movie was a more loving and inspirational benediction to lives well lived than any pastor, priest or rabbi could utter in a memorial service. Indeed, that first prayer was answered in a unique and loving way by the Lord. In fact, family members have since reported other surviving items which uniquely comforted them. Our Lord had set aside that single video cassette and other items to serve as a last farewell to the families of Columbia.
2) The second petition requested of Billy Graham’s listeners was also answered miraculously. The petition had been that NASA be able to know for sure what had happened. This was essential in order to fix the problem which caused the tragedy. Knowing technically the cause would assure that future Shuttle crews could safely return to orbit the Earth.
While there were cameras photographing the exterior of Columbia during ascent, no picture were taken of the exterior on orbit, and there were no exterior pictures of reentry. (There was one extremely low resolution photo taken by an Air Force ground based camera while Columbia descended earthward over New Mexico.) The only means flight control and forensic analysts had of assessing the exterior had to be through recorded data from sensors on board Columbia positioned behind the space ship’s skin.
While it was true that particles of the external tank’s insulation were pictured raining down on Columbia during ascent, the was not altogether exceptional from other missions. Apparently, insulation separating from that tank was not a new phenomena. But why would it have been the source of Columbia’s demise? Was it really the cause? Somehow, a “silver bullet” was needed to confirm it as the source. For analysis purposes, it was fortuitous that the breakup had come over land rather than the Pacific Ocean. The ocean would surely have negated any hope of a thorough investigation.
I thought back to the Challenger tragedy and the loss of the vehicle during ascent. Shortly after Challenger’s loss, a group of us had prayed that the OEX (Orbiter Experiment) Recorder could be found. We knew that it could provide extremely telling data of Challenger’s status up to and at the moment of the explosion. I had been the OEX data manager. The data I was responsible for was on that recorder. Initially, from photos taken of Challenger’s explosion, it seemed unlikely that the recorder had survived. Nevertheless, God had made a way. The recorder was found along with the crew in the reinforced super structure of the cabin framework. (For the account of how God helped in the instance of the Challenger analysis, go to: http://www.spaceacts.com/TRACT51L.html
for information.)
But, for Columbia , the OEX program was long since ended. It had served to test out the performance of the Shuttle orbiter on its maiden voyages. I had long since been assigned to other projects in the ensuing years. To my knowledge, there was no longer an OEX recorder or other OEX sensors on any Shuttle. It is interesting that the only orbiters outfitted with those OEX recorders and their sensors had been the Challenger and the Columbia. “As the heavens are higher than the Earth so are His ways higher than our ways” is a Scripture that has been a constant reminder of my insignificant understanding of God’s plans and purposes. Evidence of God’s work is that despite an engineering order to remove all the OEX measurements from Columbia, some 700 plus remained. Many of these were temperature sensors behind the leading edges of Columbia’s wings. These temperature measurements continued to be recorded by the OEX recorder on each Columbia mission.
If,
as with Challenger, that OEX recorder could be found, a treasure-trove
of forensic data would result. As a result of that second prayer prayed by
Billy Graham’s listeners, IT WAS MIRACULOUSLY FOUND, weeks later, in a pristine
state such that it could be flown again. There it was, Columbia’s
OEX recorder, about 500 yards west of Hwy. 96 near Hemphill, Texas, in a field
imbedded in soft earth! One of my colleagues came into the office saying,
“This has got to be a miracle!” I agreed and shared about how prayer had been
responsible.
Its data proved to be many times more beneficial than what had been recorded on Challenger. Those OEX temperature sensors, that had not been removed despite the engineering order, proved invaluable. They were the ideal witness of what was going on with the leading edge of the left wing. The photos of the left wing during ascent showed insulation striking the leading edge around 86 seconds into the mission. The OEX data showed the correlation of temperatures rising dramatically at the same time at that same location. Likewise, on descent, as the hot molecules of the atmosphere began to strike that same location, again temperatures rose at an alarming rate. The OEX recorder and the temperature sensors confirmed the likely cause of the tragedy.
Insulation falling from the external fuel tank had punctured the leading edge of Columbia ’s left wing causing the eventual destruction of the vehicle on reentry. This was the irrefutable proof Billy Graham’s listeners had prayed for. Now, NASA knew exactly what had happened.
3) But, I believe, it was the third prayer’s answer which has had the greatest impact. God demonstrated his ability to make something positive come from a tragic circumstance. Because I believe according to Romans 8:28 that God has a “purpose” of ”the working together for good of ALL things” whether they be tragic or triumphant, I have never accepted the view that God had any part in causing any of NASA’s tragedies. Why would a loving Father want any harm to come to His children? Like any parent faced with an unfortunate accident, He would do everything possible to restore, comfort, and heal those who were hurting.
In the Billy Graham interview, I remembered commenting on Columbia descending on Texas rather than elsewhere. In effect, the final resting place for the vehicle and its crew had become the Lone Star State. Despite 40,000 plus pieces of refuse falling from above, no one was injured or killed.
Several
days after the event, I noticed the state’s license plate. Perhaps, what I
noticed is either chilling or comforting depending on one’s view of the tragedy.
Was license plate meant to be prophetic or comforting? The Shuttle is
depicted in the upper left descending toward oil derricks and range riders, a
perfect depiction of the Lone Star State and what happened. Each time I pulled
up to a stop light behind a Texas license plate, I was reminded to pray for the
Columbia families. Seeing the orbiter descend toward Texas was a reminder of
our state’s affection for what they had done for each of us. My wife is from
Nacogdoches, where the search for Columbia and her crew was launched.
The unity and prayers of those in the Lone Star State was wonderful.
In the coming months, a massive search was undertaken beneath Columbia’s reentry footprint over Texas. Thousands joined in the search for Columbia ’s remains. Often search parties would launch their efforts by holding hands and praying. Their prayers were like mine: for God’s help to comfort the families, to assist NASA in understanding what happened, and to bring good out of tragedy. Some of those Texans even gave their lives in the search. A helicopter crew searching the Big Thicket was tragically lost.
And I can’t help but remember the Gospel singer Steve Green, a friend of Commander Rick Husband, giving a Gospel Concert conducted in remembrance of Columbia’s crew at the Grace Community Church near NASA. Rick Husband, Mike Anderson and their wives were members of that church near the space center. Evelyn Husband and Sandy Anderson gave testimony of answered prayer similar to what I’ve shared here. Evelyn and Sandy became living testimonies for their deceased husbands.
Rick’s and Mike’s faith was recounted as examples of Christ’s working
in their astronaut husbands’ lives. Through conventions of Women of Faith and
other events, these ladies spoke as though Mike and Rick were before the
audiences. They truly exemplified the words of the Apostle Paul, that “Ye are
our witnesses known and read of all men…” (II Cor. 3:2,3) Then, there was
Evelyn’s book about Rick and their lives as a Christian family, HIGH CALLING.
This book like that authored by Todd Beamer’s widow of the 911 tragedy, LET’S
ROLL, affected many lives for the Lord, encouraging all who read it to embrace
Christ as Lord and Savior. The passing of Rick and Mike became a powerful
witness that such is simply a portal to heaven to those that believe in Christ
as Lord. How many thousands have entered into that saving faith in Christ, we
will only know when we, too, reach heaven. This is, for me, the most
outstanding answer to that third request of Billy Graham’s DECISION TODAY
listeners. There will be a “great cloud of witnesses” that we’ll meet one
day along with Mike and Rick. Those witnesses will be present because of
Rick, Mike, Evelyn, Sandy and other members of the Columbia crew and
families.
Now
I know why I was not asked to offer a substitute astronaut prayer. These
recollections and the subsequent prayer would have been much too long. But I want
to close with a final remembrance relating to today’s National Day of Prayer service.
The last two times I had attended were memorable because of the astronaut
prayer, who had prayed. . It had been none other than Mike Anderson on one of
those occasions. Mike had prayed boldly for his country, it’s space program
and citizens in the name of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That’s the only
time I’d met Mike. But, who would have known, least of all, Mike, that God
would call him home on his Columbia Mission? Then I remember, the next
year’s 2003 May service, at the same location, for the same purpose to lift up
our nation and its space program. The speaker was not Mike this time. It was
Sandy Anderson, Mike’s wife. To this day, I remember one petition she
uttered, “Lord, give us backbones of steel.” May that be each of our prayers
in the face of such tragedy as at times befalls our nation and its citizens.
Whether we face a 911 attack or altogether unexpected circumstance, Lord Jesus,
give each of us and especially our nation a backbone of steel to be over comers
as You overcame.