I’m not sure I buy this. Listening to the author’s processed audio track, especially the slowed down one, it does sound like he’s saying something different. But as I listed to the unprocessed track that accompanies the 7 minute video compilation (quite moving, btw) it sounded more like the official version. He is very cautious and admits he could be wrong, but you be the judge.
Columbia Space Shuttle Audio / Final words by Rick Husband
Most people who have followed the details of this story know that Rick Husband’s final words at 8:59:32 were “Roger, uh, bu…”. His words were cut off as Columbia experienced a communications drop out and shortly there after, Columbia’s break up began. I absolutely believe those were Husband’s words! But for me, the last cogent thought, the last complete sentence expressed by Husband happened on his previous call down. Unfortunately, this statement by him received almost no attention by the media or the public…and sadder still is that I believe his words were transcribed incorrectly by NASA.
At 8:58:48 (44 seconds before he said Roger, uh…bu…) it is officially transcribed that Husband said “and uh Hou…”. That seems to me an odd transmission for the commander to start a thought in mid sentence, as if he were trying to finish a previous thought. Commander Husband hadn’t made a call down for more than 12 minutes prior to this statement based on the audio recordings. I do think this was an odd transmission, but not for the reason I just mentioned.
[…]
So what do I hear Husband say? Well I don’t hear him say- “and uh Hou…” I hear him say- “feelin’ the heat”. That, I feel was his and STS-107’s equivalent to Apollo 13’s “Houston, we’ve had a problem”. Absolutely and highly subjective as all of this is, I suspect Husband’s brief blurt was a product of him being a proud pilot. That if his “bird” was in trouble…that it may go down.
So how do you tie this one in to Iraq, hack?
I think this will haunt us forever, at least we who care about the space program and the heroes who risk their lives for something really worthwhile.
I note that NASA was somewhat secretive in the first few hours after the accident, and in the days before there were emails running all over the chain of command arguing about the possibility of an accident, and all were dismissed. Only the previous NASA administrator, Sean O’Keefe, managed to put an end to that, a policy that seems to continue to this day under Mr. Griffin – although there are still serious culture problems within NASA regarding the need for transparency.
I wouldn’t be very surprised if some sort of concealment was found, but I sincerely doubt this is IT. I honestly am of the opinion that NASA managers were fully aware that the Columbia was a wounded bird, and took the chance to land ‘as is’ anyway, just to see if it landed… Would be too much trouble waiting a few weeks to mount a rescue mission. Too costly. Not Apollo XIII days anymore.
My personal opinion, only. Watch the faces in the control room, I can’t stop thinking there was a guilty expression on the flight director’s (Leroy Cain) face! IMVHO, he KNEW!
No question about it, the quote was, “and, uh, Hou…” In an emergency situation, pilots are concentrating heavily on making split second decisions and talking with ATC or Mission Control is very low on the task stack. In many situations, the first words from a pilot in distress are, “Uh, [pause], Center, [pause].”
I hear nothing like “feelin’ the heat,” which is an unprofessional way to begin any transmission. Astronauts are the ultimate pros.
I don’t know, I think the original transcript is probably essentially correct.
For all the talk about a change of culture with NASA/Shuttle operations, how much has it really changed? Supposedly it changed after Challenger. But if so how did Columbia happen?
We are still flying with pieces of foam streaming off the external tank, still courting disaster.
My dad worked for NASA in the 60s…these guys are test pilots…test. pilots.
test.
not commercial.
not civilian.
not business.
test pilots.
test.
pilots.
Sorry, but I think the “feelin’ the heat…” interpretation is bogus. Not just bogus, really, but laughably bogus.
Come on — do you really think that the commander of the mission, when he senses that something is wrong with his vehicle, is going to make an obtuse reference to trouble like this?
So let me get this straight: he notices that something is seriously wrong during reentry, and the way he lets the MCC know is by saying “…feelin’ the heat…”? You’ve got to be kidding.
“BubbaRay” (above) nailed it. When Jim Lovell heard an explosion followed by the master alarm on Apollo 13, the first words out of his mouth were “Houston, we’ve had a problem”, NOT something stupid like “feelin’ the heat.”
Although I don’t think he said “feelin’ the heat,” I also don’t think astronauts are incapable of casual speech in flight. For example, take a look at the STS-51-L mission transcript: “(Expletive) hot!”, “Feel that mother go.”, et c.
Oh well, that video guy again…
Too much creativity all over the place and no view for the facts.
Give it a try and check out the mentioned “video compilation”. You will find a lot of pathetic and schmaltzy footage with violins in the background, cobbled together.
Maybe being an artist just means craving for a little extra attention?
Honestly guys i swear i heard feelin that heat too even before i saw this post. I thought it was just me. Maybe he was trying to say in a few words to mission control that he was feeling the heat, as an indication that something is wrong because they should not have been feeling the heat at all! Saying houstan we got a problem takes more time.