Heartbreaking Discoveries of Shuttle Explosion in Hemphill (TX)

kfdm ^

[chance33_98]

Heartbreaking Discoveries of Shuttle Explosion in Hemphill

Reported by News Department February 1, 2003 - 7:31PM

HEMPHILL, Texas (AP) _ Among the chunks of metal littered across eastern Texas following the space shuttle's explosion were some heartbreaking discoveries: an astronaut's charred patch, a helmet, some human remains.

The shuttle Columbia broke apart in flames 200,000 feet over Texas on Saturday morning, leaving a 500-mile swath of debris across several counties. All seven astronauts were killed just minutes before they were to glide to a landing in Florida.

Mike Gibbs, an X-ray technician at Sabine County Hospital, was driving on Farm-to-Market Road 2971 Saturday and feared an object in the two-lane dirt road was an astronaut's remains.

Apparently, he was right. Gibbs said he and his friend saw what appeared to be a charred torso, thigh bone and skull with front teeth intact.

"I wouldn't want anybody seeing what I saw," Gibbs said. "It was pretty gruesome."

Fire trucks arrived shortly and blocked the road as authorities collected evidence. A hearse left the area Saturday evening.

Billy Smith, the emergency management coordinator for Jasper, Sabine and Newton counties, confirmed that body parts were found near apparent shuttle debris in Sabine County.

The remains found in Sabine County have been turned over to the FBI, officials said.

"We don't know where the remains are being taken," Sabine County Sheriff Tom Maddox said.

Residents across eastern Texas reported finding chunks of metal and other shuttle parts atop roofs, in yards and on parking lots. A compact car-size piece of debris fell into Toledo Bend lake, said Maddox. A charred astronaut's patch was found in San Augustine County. A flight helmet landed on James Couch's property near state Highway 103 and F.M. 1751 in San Augustine County, The Lufkin Daily News. He kept guard on the helmet. Authorities were searching a 500-mile swath but said the debris could be spread over a region three times larger.

[petuniasevan]

Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster Archive

[bootless]

BUMP

[TXnMA]

driving on Farm-to-Market Road 2971 Saturday and feared an object in the two-lane dirt road

The KFDM 'news staff' better check their facts: FM (Farm-to-Market Roads) in Texas are well-paved state highways with wide rights-of way; none that I know of are "two-lane dirt". (I should know; a FM Road runs in front of my home...)

BTW, I am very glad we live just slightly north of the debris track. I expect that finding shuttle parts (or worse) in your yard would be quite traumatic.

One of the most poignant scenes I saw on TV today was that scorched Columbia shoulder patch lying in the grass. Just think: that patch was on an astronaut's shoulder a few hours ago...

[Texas Mom]

How awful but there will probably be more in the days to come. This is such a sad time.

[pttttt]

Lord receive them. I hope it was quick.

[CedarDave]

KRLD reporting that military guarding shuttle remains are unarmed. Soldiers are out in the dark woods (new moon tonight) without weapons and have no means to stop souvenir hunters. Some are being recalled after complaining and replaced by LEO's. Also heard on KRLD that President Bush declared Texas a disaster area in order to give relief to local emergency personnel.

[Semper911]

A video image of a helmet that dropped into a yard in Norwood Community, Texas from the space shuttle Columbia is seen Feb. 1, 2002. Many parts of the shuttle, along with human remains, were found in the area. NASA (news - web sites) officials later removed the helmet. Photo by Rick Wilking/Reuters

[chance33_98]

Damn Sad.

[ChemistCat]

My husband insists that the crew does not wear helmets on re-entry and landing, only for EVA activities.

I don't know if he's right. I am a space fan, he's a space fanatic, and has plenty of space in his cranium for space lore.

[Ciexyz]

I'm having flashbacks to the Challenger blowup. Today was a very sad day.

[Redcloak]

That's a flight helmet. They wear these on take off and landing. The EVA helmets are much larger and intended to protect the wearer from a vacuum environment. In other words, someone was wearing that this morning.

[dc-zoo]

Since the Challenger disaster they do wear their suit and helmet during ascent and re-entry in case of a rapid decompression.

[ChemistCat]

Well, dear, guess you were wrong....

I usually get such PLEASURE out of saying that to my husband, but today....none.

Thanks, DC & Red.

[garbanzo]

Since the Challenger disaster they do wear their suit and helmet during ascent and re-entry in case of a rapid decompression.

Do you know if it's thought that it would have made much of a difference in the Challenger explosion ?

[bootless]

God bless them all, and their families. And God help any "souvenir hunter" who tries to raid their memories.

BTW, the quote in my tagline came from a child's message to the crew at one of the memorial sites: "I miss you all. I knew you were brave."

[dixiechick2000]

My in-laws live on a FM road in a farming community just north of Hillsboro. It is a two-lane dirt road, so maybe the one referenced in the article is, as well.

[nhoward14]

Debris recovered from Challenger showed that some astronauts survived the explosion and survived through the descent to Earth. They were then killed instantly upon impact with the water.

[nhoward14]

I guess I better also point out that there are dissenting viewpoints that suggest they did survive the explosion but would have gone unconscious within seconds due to lack of oxygen. The detail in dispute is if the cabin maintained pressure long enough. Once the cabin hit the water it was severely smashed such that it was impossible to determine its integrity in the air.

[garbanzo]

They were then killed instantly upon impact with the water.

Which I guess was sort of what I was getting at - unless there is some way of guiding the remnant down gently, I don't see the point of keeping the astronauts alive and conscious until the impact. I guess it would be important in cases where decompression didn't lead to complete destruction of the craft but I don't know how many scenarios would lead to that result.