Shuttle Debris Rains on Texas, Blackens Earth / STS-107

Yahoo News ^ | 2/1/03 | Jon Herskovitz - Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

Sat Feb 1, 3:42 PM ET

The crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia is seen in this undated composite photo. All seven astronauts were lost when Columbia broke up in the skies over Texas February 1, 2003, just minutes before a scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center (news - web sites) in Florida. Photo by Nasa (news - web sites)/Reuters

Lord, we commit these souls unto your care.

Prayers to the families and friends of those lost in this terrible event.

[nhoward14]

There was a fire this morning that started in Plano (North of Dallas) at an apartment building. The local TV stations in Dallas are covering it because the call came in at 7:58AM and witnesses said the roof looked like something fell into it. Judging by the timeline mentioned in the NASA news conference, it looks like it could be shuttle debris, but there is no confirmation yet from officials.

[EggsAckley]

Detritus.

:-(

[hole_n_one]

[cmsgop]

Amazing nobody on the ground was hurt.

[hole_n_one]

[nhoward14]

Yes. So far it appears that God's grace has limited the loss of life from this to only those on board.

[NormsRevenge]

Sat Feb 1,11:17 AM ET

The space shuttle Columbia was feared crashed in northeastern Texas, February 1, 2003, with seven astronauts on board. The seven STS-107 crew members take a break from their training regime to pose for the traditional crew portrait. Seated in front are astronauts Rick D. Husband (left), mission commander; Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist; and William C. McCool, pilot. Standing are (from the left} astronauts David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and Michael P. Anderson, all mission specialists; and Ilan Ramon, payload specialist representing the Israeli Space Agency. This photo was taken October, 2001. NO SALES NO ARCHIVE EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/NASA (news - web sites)

Sat Feb 1, 3:47 PM ET

Flags surrounding the Washington Monument fly at half staff February 1, 2003 in honor of the astronauts killed in the space shuttle Columbia disaster. Seven astronauts perished today as their craft broke up on reentry in northeastern Texas. REUTERS/Jason Reed

[dogbyte12]

Weird question. How toxic is this material? I just wonder if it is part cover story? In a tragedy like this, it may be forgotten that there were very valuable materials on the shuttle. The shuttle often is carrying military experiments and equipment on board, and I am wondering if that is one of the reasons they are so vehement on people not approaching the debris.

Ok course the crash investigators want a pristine site, and some materials can be toxic, but has anybody heard anything about if there actually was highly classified data or equipment aboard this flight?

[aspiring.hillbilly]

They kept repeating, on the news,, that the wreckage could contain toxic rocket fuel,,,how could it still be there after such a firey decent and not burn off on the way down ,,,I think they just didn't the pieces taken or carried off... Why cant the govt just tell us that and not come up with a scare story ?

[nhoward14]

At extreme temperature the materials can transform from a non-toxic compound to a toxic compound. Since the shuttle broke up on re-entry, you will have materials on the interior of the shuttle exposed to conditions for which they were not intended. I think they are just being cautious because the plastics, polymers, rubbers, and liquids in the Shuttle components can morph into nasty solids that may release toxic fumes.

[GOP_1900AD]

Hey hole in one, speaking of holes, I am equally intrigued by the hole in that piece of sheet metal as is the guy in the photo...

[uglybiker]

Personally, I think the toxic materials bit is overblown. They don't want anyone coming in contact with the debris because it is forensic evidence.(Or scarfing it up and selling it on e-bay)

[demlosers]

Weird question. How toxic is this material? I just wonder if it is part cover story? In a tragedy like this, it may be forgotten that there were very valuable materials on the shuttle

The Space Shuttle carries a very toxic fuel called hydrozen. I remember when two German farmers in the 80's who came across a crash of an American F-16 that augured into a field. Both were rendered unconscious by the toxic hyrozen fumes coming from the crash.

[uglybiker]

(correct posting)

Personally, I think the toxic materials bit is overblown. They don't want anyone coming in contact with the debris because it is forensic evidence.

I.E. They're not as concerned about the wreckage contaminating people as they are about people contaminating the wreckage.

(Or scarfing it up and selling it on e-bay)

[musicman]

I'm wondering if the "toxic" warning is just so some of the
debris doesn't end up in an E-Bay auction before this day is over........

[Gorzaloon]

Personally, I think the toxic materials bit is overblown. They don't want anyone coming in contact with the debris because it is forensic evidence.(Or scarfing it up and selling it on e-bay)

Hydrazine for the attitude thrusters can be nasty. But I recall when I was a kid, an ancient F104 had crashed, and a cop was shouting to the crowd that gathered and was plucking souveniers, "This magnesium is going to explode", so a lot of this probably is an easy crowd control method.

But I would not want to be an E-Bay seller of any of this stuff. There must be quite a few laws regarding looting and stolen Government property that could be used to bring the hammer down.

[KC_for_Freedom]

No, the liquid oxidizer is very toxic, and can kill in quantities of 50 parts per million in the air. The heat and fire would cleanse it most likely, but they want to be careful.

[Double Tap]

Apparently, there have already been auctions opened on Ebay for supposed "shuttle debris". I saw some mention of it on Glocktalk.com and checked the auction. They had been closed and pulled off the site.