July 18, 2007--- The crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour is spending the week at Kennedy Space Center for TCDT, which is a training session called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. It means low tech stuff like riding around in an armored escape tank for quick exits from the launch pad in case of a disaster. There are also high tech parts like when the astronauts zip up their pressure suits, squeeze inside Shuttle Endeavour, and go through a mock countdown.

A lot has been made about having Teacher-in-Space Barbara Morgan on the shuttle crew. She was the back-up candidate to Christa McAuliffe, who was killed in the Challenger accident in 1986. Morgan will occupy the same seat assignment that McAuliffe did during her ill-fated liftoff, and Space Shuttle Endeavour was built to replace Challenger after NASA’s first Shuttle disaster. With all of those Challenger analogies, the world may have missed one link between Endeavour’s upcoming mission and NASA’s second Shuttle accident, involving Columbia in 2003.

Endeavour’s pilot Charlie Hobaugh was capsule communicator, or CAPCOM, during the final moments of Columbia’s doomed mission. A heat shield on Columbia was damaged during liftoff and the heat of re-entry tore the vehicle apart as it tried to land back in Florida. Hobaugh was the only person to talk to the Columbia crew during the fatal trip down.

Here’s an excerpt from my upcoming book "Final Countdown: NASA and the end of the Space Shuttle Program", coming out in October from University Press of Florida…

"At this point capcom Charlie Hobaugh joins in the drama by communicating with Columbia commander Rick Husband. Their exchange, which the public can hear, is the first obvious indication that Columbia is in serious danger.

"And, Columbia, Houston," says Hobaugh. "We see your tire pressure message and we did not copy your last [message]."

"Roger, uh—" responds (Columbia Commander Rick) Husband until his voice is cut off.

There are bursts of static on the line, punctuated by moments of silence.

"Columbia, Houston, comm check," asks Hobaugh. The capcom continues to ask Columbia’s crew to respond. His deadpan messages are met with silence, or static known in NASA jargon as "ratty comm." (Flight Director Leroy) Cain soon orders his crew to lock the doors, telephone no one, and conserve all of their data.

The Columbia disaster has occurred.

During today's press conference at KSC, I asked Charlie Hobaugh if his experience during the Columbia disaster had an effect on his plans to fly on Endeavour?

"No," he responded. "We understand it’s worth it, and we want to be a part of it. And, we want to continue with manned spaceflight. We just have to close that chapter of our lives…we respect all those that are left behind, but we press on."

Liftoff is set for August 7^th.