by 
Blasting off into something new
Blown apart before our dreams came true
Facing our fear of uncertainty
With the force of exit velocity
All that remains are fragments
Dreams now past
All that survives is a remnant
Hope for space at last
This is part of my “Inspired by Space” Series.
Photo Information
Title: CONTOUR Launch
NASA’s Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) launched on a Boeing Delta II rocket on July 3, 2002 from Cape Canaveral. The probe was lost after it ignited its solid rocket engine take it out of Earth’s orbit and put it on a heliocentric trajectory. After the firing, no contact could be made with the probe. Telescopic surveys found three objects near the expected position of CONTOUR, leading scientists to believe that these objects were parts of the craft. CONTOUR was designed to make close fly-bys of at least two comet nuclei.
Image Number: KSC-02PP-1124
Date: July 3, 2002
Source: NASA Commons