the trembling widow of doomed Columbia astronaut Ilan Ramon

IS HE ALL RIGHT, IS HE OK? OH MY GOD...

STUNNED beyond tears, the trembling widow of doomed Columbia astronaut Ilan Ramon is led away from the landing strip where she was expecting to welcome her husband back to earth.

Moments before this picture was taken, Rona Roman and all the other wives, husbands, sons and daughters of the seven space heroes had gathered at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, waiting for the triumphant return of their loved ones.

The 48-year-old mum had been jumping up and down with excitement as she waited to cuddle and kiss Ilan—Israel's first man in space—and reunite him with their four small children.

But as the tragedy began to unfold, Mrs Ramon repeatedly asked space controllers: "Is he all right? Is he OK?" And when it became clear the shuttle was definitely not coming back, all she could do was slump in her seat and sob: "Oh My God!"

NASA was monitoring the shuttle's descent when the loudspeakers suddenly fell silent. Within seconds the first flickers of unease settled on the crowds and fire safety crews who had been waiting to see in the shuttle shifted uneasily.

Lost

Then NASA announced that contact had been lost. The dreadful truth slowly began to dawn on the shocked families that they were present, not at a triumph, but at a tragedy.

Fire and rescue crews started to strip off their helmets and heavy kit, knowing it would no longer be needed. The seven brave astronauts were now beyond help. As the appalling realisation spread through the crowd, spectators struggled to hide their tears.

And no one could bring themselves to look at the families. Their bereavement was so public—and so instant. Disbelieving relatives rushed to TV screens to watch the multiple streaks of Columbia's trails—clear evidence it had broken into pieces—on screen.

Then NASA officials began to gently but firmly usher the families away into minibuses. They were all taken to secure buildings where they could come to terms with their loss in private. Counsellors and priests were called in to try to help the bewildered relatives cope with what had happened.

Mrs Ramon could barely walk when she was led away from the Kennedy Space Center. She and her children had been living in Texas for several years while Ilan prepared for the flight.

Just before the 16-day shuttle mission she admitted she couldn't wait for it to be over. She added: "I don't want to talk about fear. I'm sure NASA is doing everything that is possible not to take any risk and any chances. The most calm and relaxed person is Ilan."

Former fighter pilot Ilan, 48, was a decorated war hero. His mother and grandmother went to Auschwitz during the Second World War but lived to tell the tale. His father, Eliezer Wolferman, 79, also survived a concentration camp.

Ilan was remembered by his sister-in-law. She said: "He was a wonderful father and a wonderful man. A talented and very good person. He loved his country and his family and everybody in this world. I know that's hard to believe but that's the man he was."

She added: "I need to be with Rona and their four children now. That is what's important, to help her in this awful situation. Almost no one in the world can know how I'm feeling. To die in space is just..."

Another shocked relative paid tribute to Laurel Clark, 41, one of Columbia's two women astronauts. Her aunt, Betty Haviland, described her as "very goal-oriented, very adventure-oriented, very proud to be representing her country and doing these scientific experiments".

But Mrs Haviland and her husband, Doug said it brought back terrible memories of losing one of their sons, Laurel's cousin, in the September 11 tragedy. "We had the sickening feeling that here we go again," said Mr Haviland.

Meanwhile, miles away from Cape Canaveral, jagged pieces of blackened, twisted metal had started turning up, scattered across the fields and roads of Texas.

American TV cameras focused on a brick building next to a lonely road where a lump of debris the size of a TV set had fallen to earth. Hours before it had been part of a machine capable of soaring into space. Now it looked no more remarkable than the remains of a car crash.

Onlookers kept a safe and respectable distance as the authorities tried to seal off the wreckage. But it was obvious what they, and millions of TV viewers around the world were thinking...

Just hours ago there were seven human beings in that. Now they are gone forever.