Tragedy came 17 years almost to a day after the space program’s previous catastrophe. Space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take-off on January 28, 1986. At 8:00 am on Saturday, February 1, 2003 space shuttle Columbia disintegrated in the sky over Palestine, Texas. On lookers were shaken by the noise. A rain of debris was called hell fire from the heavens upon Columbia’s reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere. On television the world watched spellbound as eerie spirals of smoke were outlined against the clear morning sky. For me, as for other central Floridians, it was a heartbreaking Dejavu. Many of us recall watching the explosion of the first shuttle just after lift-off. The visual effect from the exploding Columbia was almost identical.

From my downtown Orlando apartment I watched in horrified disbelief on that frigid morning in 1986. Later that day I started working with the horoscopes of the event and the birth charts of the astronauts. It grew into a feature for Dell Horoscope readers which was published in the June, 1986 issue. Somehow looking at the charts linked to world shaking events has a cathartic effect, it helps us to begin to find some rhyme and reason amid the heartbreak and horror. Hopefully this study of the recent tragedy will offer a bit of healing, perspective and understanding.

Columbia was launched on January 16, 2003 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The event took place shortly before a Full Moon in Cancer, the birth sign of President Bush (born on July 6, 1946)

and our nation’s birth chart (July 4, 1776).

Mission Commander Rick Husband was born with the Sun in Cancer as was Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, India’s first astronaut. The Moon links to the progress and timing of events and to public consciousness.

The Moon was applying to an opposition with a retrograde Mercury in Capricorn on January 16, 2003. William C. McCool, the mission’s pilot, a Libra, Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander, a Capricorn, and mission specialist David M. Brown, born with the Sun in Aries, all have birth charts that underscore the tense aspects in cardinal signs at the time of the lift-off.

It is interesting to note that the retrograde Mercury in Capricorn was in a mutual reception with a retrograde Saturn in Gemini. Saturn (and Mercury by mutual reception) was mutually applying to an opposition with transit Pluto in Sagittarius. All of the astronauts were in their forties. Most of the crew members were born with natal Pluto in Virgo in square aspect by sign to transit Pluto. The mutable sign opposition pattern strengthened by the mutual reception signaled a potential for tragedy in a way that would impact masses of people around the world. Mission specialist Laurel Clark, a Pisces, as well as Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon, a Gemini, had charts that showed especially prominent hard mutual aspects. The Gemini-Sagittarius polarity on the day of the lift-off accents this.

At the time of the tragedy debris as well as human remains were scattered over a wide field spanning several states, including Texas, Colorado, Arkansas and Louisiana. Radio contact was lost about 8:00 am CST on February 1, 2003, as Columbia flew over Palestine, Texas enroute to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Let’s consider the dramatic event chart for the tragic explosion. The Sun, Moon and rising sign are all in Aquarius along with Uranus and Neptune. The Aquarius stellium spans the 1st and 12th houses. The Sun and Moon, the two luminaries in astrology, are both in the 12th house. This sector is linked to sorrow, heart ache and suffering in classical interpretation. Modern humanistic astrologers teach that service and sacrifice providing a path to peace and release when the 12th house is accented in a chart. NASA officials have repeatedly mentioned the heartbreak and despair caused by this accident. There is great fear concerning what it might do to the economy and the future of space exploration.

Transit Jupiter in Leo is in opposition aspect. This suggests that the Shuttle’s problem stemmed from an external source, rather than failure on the part of the astronauts. Jupiter is in the 6th house, pointing to a problem with details of maintenance and repair. Saturn in the 4th house of the event chart for the explosion indicates that the recovery from this event for NASA will be a slow one. There might indeed be economic impacts at home, meaning throughout the United States. Children were kept home from school on the Monday following the accident, for fear of being endangered by toxic debris. Volunteers made makeshift crosses to mark places where human remains were found. Transit Saturn in Gemini in the mutual reception with Mercury in Capricorn is also in opposition to Venus, Pluto and (by wide orb) Mars in Sagittarius. The 10th house is involved. This indicates that the incident can be a source of major transformations in the lives and daily scope of activities for many as a result. Mars is conjunct the South Node on the Midheaven, showing some problems with image, trust and credibility. The elevated Mars (the hyleg of the chart) also describes the problems with fire and heat. Overheated tiles have been frequently mentioned in early news releases.

The speed and unexpectedness with which the accident occurred is definitely Uranian in nature. Glancing at the transits for January 28, 1986 and February 1, 2003, we can see that the 10th degree of Aquarius is especially prominent. Venus is on that degree in the 1986 event chart and Neptune is there in the recent event chart. The sabian symbol for 10 degrees of Aquarius reads A popularity which proves ephemeral. It is called a degree of eternal challenge by astrologer Marc Edmund Jones in his book The Sabian Symbols of Astrology. It’s also important to consider that the fixed star Armus, which has a nature of Mars and Mercury, is positioned at 11 degrees of Aquarius. These subtleties hint at the fate of the shuttles and their crews.

In analyzing the event chart for the explosion it would seem that NASA will make major progress in rising above calamity and continue to press on in space exploration when transit Jupiter enters Libra. That year long pattern will begin on September 25, 2004. The benevolent trine Jupiter will make to transit Neptune in Aquarius in late 2004 and 2005 suggests that the confusion and mystery surrounding the explosion will be resolved and that new growth can begin.

The natal charts of the seven astronauts provide an intriguing and poignant study. Sunrise charts using the place of birth are used for a reference.

Rick D. Husband was born on July 12, 1957 in Amarillo, Texas. He was the mission commander. Married with two children, he was a veteran of space travel. Commander Husband was an Air Force colonel. An astronaut since 1994, he piloted a 1999 mission that involved docking with the international space station. His birth chart shows great loyalty and perseverance with Mercury and the Sun in Cancer sextile natal Jupiter in Virgo. The Leo planets, Uranus and an exact Venus-Mars conjunction coupled with Pluto show courage and leadership ability.

Ilan Ramon was born on June 20, 1954 in Tel Aviv. Married with four children, he has been a fighter pilot since 1974. As the first Israeli astronaut heightened security and celebrity surrounded him throughout the mission. Allusions to the tensions in the Middle East and omens linked to the tragedy abound, with many observers remarking on the site of Palestine (Texas, home state of President Bush) holding a deeper esoteric significance create a mystique around payload specialist Ramon. Born with retrograde Mars in Capricorn oppose the natal Jupiter-Sun conjunction (out of sign) conflict is prominently indicated in his horoscope. His natal Moon in Aquarius shows an unusual career and an affinity for aviation as well as adventure. His Moon (which links to public opinion) was profoundly aspected by the Aquarius stellium at the time of the Columbia’s explosion.

Pilot William C. McCool was born on September 23, 1961 in San Diego. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he also earned a degree in computer science from the University of Maryland and is married. A Navy Commander, he was selected by NASA in 1996. His Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Capricorn shows productivity, ambition and talent. It is square a Mercury-Mars conjunction in Libra which shows a quick mind and great energy. The Pisces Moon would show the affinity with the water, hence his success as a Navy officer.

Michael P. Anderson was born on December 25, 1959. Payload commander Anderson is one of just a few black astronauts. He is married and has degrees in physics as well as astronomy. In 1988 he flew on a previous shuttle mission which docked with Mir space station. His horoscope shows Mercury, Mars and Jupiter in Sagittarius, indicating an interest in international affairs as well as an affinity for the academic world. His Sun-Saturn conjunction in Capricorn is mutually applying with a trine to retrograde Pluto in Virgo. This indicates dedication as well as the ability to perform really difficult tasks well.

Mission specialist Laurel Clark was born on March 10, 1961 in Ames, Iowa. Her Pisces Sun coupled with a Sagittarius Moon is a combination that has long been linked to genius and science (both Copernicus and Einstein were born with that configuration). A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, she was a medical doctor, married with one child. Selected by NASA in 1996, she previously worked aboard submarines as a diving medical officer and as a flight surgeon. She was a Navy commander. The affinity for the water is indicated in her horoscope by a grand trine in water signs formed by Neptune in Scorpio, Mars in Cancer and the Pisces Sun. With Mercury in Aquarius she was interested in unusual service to humanity and in adventure.

David M. Brown, mission specialist, was born on April 16, 1956 in Arlington, Virginia. He was single and earned a doctorate in medicine from the Eastern Virginia Medical school. He served in the Navy as a captain, pilot and doctor. His 26 degree Aries Sun makes an exact trine to Pluto in Leo. This shows a love of action and mobility. His Mars in Aquarius is sextile Saturn in Sagittarius suggesting endurance and physical strength.

Kalpana Chawla, also a mission specialist, was born in Karnal, India on July 1, 1961. Her desire to become an astronaut began in childhood. Following graduation from college in India, she enrolled at the University of Texas. After completing a master’s degree there she went on to earn a doctorate in aerospace engineering at The University of Colorado. She was married and joined NASA in 1994. In 1997 she flew on a shuttle mission acting as the prime operator of a robotic arm. Her Moon and Jupiter are in Aquarius showing the fascination with science and space. The Sun and Mercury conjunct in Cancer promise a retentive mind. The Cancer planets are trine Neptune in Scorpio, indicating sensitivity as well as keen intuition and insight. A Mars-Pluto conjunction in Virgo points to a strong will.

In pouring over the biographies and natal charts of these exceptional and gifted people, the magnitude of the loss generated by the explosion grows more enormous. There are more links to study between the event chart of Columbia’s explosion, the natal charts of the crew and their interactions with each other. As a professional astrologer and teacher, I have been writing this feature amid a barrage of phone calls and e-mails from clients and students. Each one suggests something new to focus on. Space doesn’t permit an analysis of all the points we could make with these charts. Hopefully this will serve as a sounding board for you to begin with in your personal reflections upon the fate of Shuttle Columbia and her heroic, exceptional crew.

©Dikki-Jo Mullen, Astrologer
Offers personal readings, classes and lecture programs.
Phone 407-895-1522 in Orlando
or 321-773-1414 in Indialantic, Florida
See more at http://www.arielinstitute.com/

This article may be reprinted if all credits above are included. All Rights Reserved ©Dikki-Jo Mullen 2003

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SPOTLIGHT

Now, for some BAD news concerning Habeas, as received from Michael Yost:

We hate to be the one that says..."we told you so"...but Habeas has filed lawsuit against some BIG names in marketing. You may read the article here:

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and on Habeas website:

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I thank you again for your time.

Michael Yost
OMPUAC Founder

As a last minute added note, Habeas has dropped charges against Clickbank. I think they found out that they didn't have a chance in naming them in their law suit. However, the rest of the MLM programs are definitely at risk "without the Habeas Headers". Do you want to pay them? Next will be their step in charging all of us to send our "private emails". Trust us, this is where it is heading. I personally refuse to pay them. Not only do I oppose such a thing, there is no way I could pay them their $495 for "small business ezines". These people and others like them have got to be stopped. . . .and STOPPED NOW!

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