I learned about the explosion of the Space Shuttle Columbia, two hours after the fact, and I fighting quite frightening. I don't know what to say. I'm afraid for the lives of the six astronauts that are surely casualties of this accident.
Additionally, I fear that this may mark the end of the space program, and I think that may be the largest causality of this event.
This isn't to say that the seven lives (which would make the causality total from the space program still under 20), quite the contrary, and the loss life as part of space exploration is unacceptable; however, no human endeavor with the possibility for gains is without risk, and that's something that everyone involved with the space program must make peace with.
But that is in the realm of the future. As for the present, surely we need time to collect ourselves, and we have all the time we need.