SENATE CURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 22

(Senators Tomblin, Mr. President, Bailey, Boley,

Bowman, Caldwell, Chafin, Deem, Dempsey, Edgell,

Facemyer, Fanning, Guills, Harrison, Helmick, Hunter,

Jenkins, Kessler, Love, McCabe, McKenzie, Minard,

Minear, Oliverio, Plymale, Prezioso, Ross, Rowe,

Sharpe, Smith, Snyder, Sprouse, Unger, Weeks and White)


Memorializing the lives of seven heroes who perished in the loss of the space shuttle Columbia.

Whereas, On January 16, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to embark on a 16- day mission dedicated to research of physical, life and space sciences; and
Whereas, The crew of space shuttle Columbia was comprised of six American astronauts and one Israeli astronaut who was the first ever from his country to fly in space. The crew members were: Colonel Rick D. Husband, Commander, U. S. Air Force; Commander William C. McCool, Pilot, U. S. Navy; Lieutenant Colonel Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander, U. S. Air Force; Captain David M. Brown, M. D., Mission Specialist 1, U. S. Navy; Kalpana Chawla, Ph. D., Mission Specialist 2; Commander Laurel Blair Salton Clark, M. D., Mission Specialist 4, U. S. Navy; and Colonel Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist 1, Israel Air Force; and
Whereas, The crew of space shuttle Columbia worked around the clock in two alternating shifts and conducted approximately 80 separate experiments which consisted of hundreds of samples and test points. It was considered by NASA to have been a successful mission; and
Whereas, On Saturday, February 1, 2003, space shuttle Columbia was lost during its reentry into the Earth's atmosphere; and
Whereas, As we mourn the loss of these seven brave astronauts, we extend our sincere sympathy to the families of those lost whose lives have forever changed as a result of this tragedy; therefore, be it
Resolved be the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby memorializes the lives of seven heroes who perished in the loss of the space shuttle Columbia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislature extends its sincere sympathy to the families of Commander Rick D. Husband, Pilot William C. McCool, Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist David M. Brown, Mission Specialist Laurel B. Clark and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the families of the seven astronauts who perished onboard space shuttle Columbia.