Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 38 This version created on 05 October 2006 The 2006 Explosion of the Recurrent Symbiotic Nova RS Ophiuchi Sumner Starrfield, ASU Jan-Uwe Ness, ASU Harvard-Smithsonian Drake Jeremy D., CfA Joachim Krautter, Landessternwarte, Germany Marina Orio, University of Wisconsin Greg Schwarz, West Chester University Karen Vanlandingham, West Chester University Michael R. Bode, John Moores University, United Kingdom Aneurin Evans, University of Keele Robert D. Gehrz, University of Minnesota Charles E. Woodward, University of Minnesota Timothy O'Brien, J., University of Manchester, United Kingdom Neil Gehrels, Goddard Space Flight Center Julian P. Osborne, University of Leicester, United Kingdom Andrew Beardmore, University of Leicester, United Kingdom Kim Page, University of Leicester, United Kingdom Howard E. Bond, Space Telescope Science Institute Stewart P. Eyres, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom R. Davis, University of Manchester, United Kingdom The Recurrent Symbiotic nova RS Ophiuchi exploded on 2006 February 12---its first outburst since 1985. The system comprises a white dwarf near the Chandrasekhar limit orbiting a red giant with a massive wind. X-ray observations began within a few days of discovery and include data from RXTE, Swift, Chandra, and XMM-Newton. These observations, in combination with radio observations obtained with the VLA and VLBA, confirm the currently favoured picture for the outburst in which ejecta from a thermonuclear runaway on the surface of the accreting white dwarf impact ambient wind material from the cool red giant. X-rays initially arose from the blast wave that reached temperatures exceeding 100 million K and exhibited prominent lines from highly ionized species of N, O, Mg, Ne, Si, S and Fe. The momentum-conserving shock system is analogous to that of supernova remnants, but evolving over months rather than millennia. Subsequently, a Supersoft X-ray Source powered by nuclear burning on the white dwarf surface emerged. This phase continued until May 13, 2006 when the decay in the SWIFT count rate indicated the SSS essentially turned off and RS Oph entered its nebular phase. We will report on high resolution Chandra spectra obtained at different phases of the outburst, together with an extensive set of lower resolution SWIFT monitoring observations, that together provide an unprecedented view of this type of nova outburst. ----------------------------------