Possible California debris may yield valuable clues / STS-107

SJ Mercury News ^ | 2/5/03 | Brandon Bailey and Glennda Chui

[NormsRevenge]

NASA investigative teams were headed Tuesday for San Jose and other West Coast locations where new reports of possible shuttle debris could provide crucial information about what caused Columbia to break apart on its descent Saturday morning.

Just hours after more than 10,000 mourners gathered to honor Columbia's fallen crew, NASA officials said the newly discovered debris could show the spacecraft started breaking up over California -- possibly earlier than was previously believed.

[EggsAckley]

Most likely what was found in Santa Cruz was someone's discarded bong.

;o)

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

LOL I never thought at how many people probably see all kinds of crap in their woods and call it in.

[El Gato]

observers who believe they saw pieces come off the shuttle as it passed over California.

I would think that something that came off over California would land somewhere farther east, maybe Nevada, Utah or even Colorado. Maybe northern Arizona or New Mexico.

[SengirV]

True, and if stuff is found in CA, then it fell off over the Pacific. If that is the case, then STS-107 started shedding material very early in the decent. And that means that NASA ignored many early reports(80's and 90's) that any damage to tiles on the underside of the shuttle could cause a diaster. Kinda sad that there is no means to examine the shuttle's exterior, nor a contingency plan to make repairs on the shuttle in space - especially after the earlier flights where the White(top side) tiles would shed on launch of the shuttle.

[Mike Darancette]

...a small, ragged piece of fabric bearing the Star of David symbol, which was found on the ground in Vernon Parish, La....

A forelorn tribute to a Man and his People that it survived to be returned to Israel.

[Mike Darancette]

PING

[tubebender]

They showed a home video of the shuttle entry on KTVU at 10pm. I thought it it was shot in San Jose and it showed something breaking off and dropping down and behind. Go to their web site and check it out. I'm missing a plugin to play it.