H.C.R. 12

1

RESOLUTION HONORING CREW OF SPACE
2 SHUTTLE COLUMBIA
3 2003 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: John Dougall
6 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor recognizes the tragic loss
7 of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia and expresses gratitude for their service.
8 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
9 WHEREAS, at approximately 9:00 a.m. EST on February 1, 2003, the crew of space
10 shuttle mission STS-107 aboard space shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry into Earth's
11 atmosphere;
12 WHEREAS, the nation and the world mourns the loss of Americans Colonel Rick D.
13 Husband, Commander William C. McCool, Lt. Colonel Michael P. Anderson, Dr. Kalpana
14 Chawla, Captain David M. Brown, Commander Laurel Blair Salton Clark, and Israeli Colonel
15 Ilan Ramon;
16 WHEREAS, these astronauts were crew members on a space shuttle with a unique and
17 historic heritage;
18 WHEREAS, the space shuttle Columbia's maiden voyage was April 12-14, 1981;
19 WHEREAS, the space shuttle Columbia has flown 28 flights between 1981 and 2003;
20 WHEREAS, the space shuttle Columbia was the first Space Shuttle to fly into Earth's
21 orbit in 1981 and the oldest orbiter in the Shuttle fleet;
22 WHEREAS, the space shuttle Columbia became the first reusable spaceship;
23 WHEREAS, the space shuttle Columbia was named after the Boston,
24 Massachusetts-based sloop captained by American Robert Gray, who on May 11, 1792
25 maneuvered the Columbia past the dangerous sandbar at the mouth of a river extending more
26 that 1,000 miles through what is today south-eastern British Columbia, Canada, and the
27 Washington-Oregon border, which river now bears the ship's name;

28 WHEREAS, this same 18th century sailing vessel became the first American ship to
29 circumnavigate the globe;
30 WHEREAS, the first United States Navy Ship to circle the globe also bore the name
31 Columbia;
32 WHEREAS, the command module of Apollo 11, the first lunar landing mission, also
33 bore the name Columbia;
34 WHEREAS, the name "Columbia" is derived from the name of the famous explorer,
35 Christopher Columbus;
36 WHEREAS, Commander Rick D. Husband, 45, was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, a
37 test pilot and veteran of one spaceflight, was selected by NASA in December 1994 to serve as
38 pilot of the STS-96 and had logged more that 235 hours in space;
39 WHEREAS, Pilot William C. McCool, 41, a commander in the U.S. Navy and former
40 test pilot, was selected by NASA in April 1996 and was making his first spaceflight;
41 WHEREAS, Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson, 43, a lieutenant colonel in the
42 U.S. Air Force, was a former instructor pilot and tactical officer with over 211 hours in space,
43 having flown on STS-89;
44 WHEREAS, Mission Specialist 1 David M. Brown, 46, a captain in the U.S. Navy and
45 a naval aviator and flight surgeon, was selected by NASA in April 1996 and was making his
46 first spaceflight;
47 WHEREAS, Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana Chawla, 41, an aerospace engineer and an
48 FAA Certified Flight Instructor, was selected by NASA in December 1994 and had logged
49 more than 376 hours in space, having flown on STS-87;
50 WHEREAS, Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark, 41, a commander
51 (captain-select) in the U.S. Navy and a naval flight surgeon, was selected by NASA in April
52 1996 and was making her first spaceflight;
53 WHEREAS, Payload Specialist 1 Ilan Ramon, 48, a colonel in the Israeli Air Force and
54 a fighter pilot, was the only payload specialist on STS-107, was approved by NASA in 1998,
55 was making his first spaceflight, and was the first Israeli in space;
56 WHEREAS, these men and women knew the dangers and faced them willingly;
57 WHEREAS, their courage, daring, and idealism, in service to all humanity, will make
58 us miss them all the more;

59 WHEREAS, the crew had eagerly prepared for many years to explore the universe and
60 expand the boundaries of knowledge, establishing new frontiers in research and exploration;
61 WHEREAS, these crew members will always be remembered as heroes, pioneers, and
62 valiant explorers on behalf of all;
63 WHEREAS, the full impact of this tragedy is only borne by the families of those seven;
64 WHEREAS, the tragic loss of the Columbia crew is a painful part of the process of
65 exploration, discovery, and the expanding of man's horizons, and a sobering reminder that the
66 future doesn't belong to the fainthearted, but to the brave;
67 WHEREAS, not since that tragic loss of the crew of the space shuttle Challenger,
68 almost 17 years ago to the day, has America's space program suffered such a great loss;
69 WHEREAS, President George W. Bush stated that although the crew did not return
70 safely to Earth, we pray that all are safely home;
71 WHEREAS, the flight path of the space shuttle Columbia crossed southern Utah for the
72 intended destination of Kennedy Space Center, Florida;
73 WHEREAS, many Utahns witnessed the space shuttle Columbia as it streaked over
74 southern Utah on its eastwardly landing approach; and
75 WHEREAS, many Utah citizens have contributed in a wide array of service to the
76 success of the U.S. space program:
77 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
78 Governor concurring therein, recognize the tragic loss of the crew of the space shuttle
79 Columbia.
80 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor express deep
81 gratitude for the crew's courage and willingness to serve all mankind.
82 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor express sincere
83 condolences to the families of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia, President Bush, Prime
84 Minister Sharon, and the entire U.S. space program family.
85 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the families of
86 the space shuttle Columbia's crew, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, the President of the
87 United States, the Prime Minister of Israel, the Governor of Texas, the Governor of Louisiana,
88 the Governor of Florida, and to the members of Utah's congressional delegation.

Legislative Review Note
as of 2-5-03 1:49 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel