[meteorite-list] No Confirmed Shuttle Debris Found In Arizona, FBI Says

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:18:25 2004
Message-ID: <200302051639.IAA03452_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0205shuttle-debris05.html

No confirmed shuttle debris found in Arizona, FBI says

Video shows pieces falling over state

Judi Villa
The Arizona Republic
February 5, 2003

Charred debris found in Arizona likely isn't from the space shuttle
Columbia, FBI officials said Tuesday.

"We believe that what we've collected, observed and responded to
appears not to be connected to the shuttle disaster," FBI spokeswoman
Susan Herskovits said. "However, we recognize that we are not the
experts. To be fair, we're going to hold on to it and give it to the
people who can rightly make that decision."

NASA sent teams Tuesday to check out reports of space shuttle debris
found in Arizona and California, material that could shed light on the
earliest stages of Columbia's breakup.

The debris could be wing material, but NASA has not determined whether
it's connected to Columbia at all, said Michael Kostelnik, a spaceflight
office deputy.

"Debris early in the flight path would be critical because that material
would obviously be near the start of the events" that unfolded during the
shuttle's west-to-east trip across the country,
Kostelnik said.

The search so far has been concentrated from central Texas to central
Louisiana.

But video shot by an amateur photographer and turned over to Channel 3
(KTVK) shows chunks of debris falling from the shuttle as it traveled
over northern Arizona.

The video was shot from 6:54 to 6:58 a.m. Saturday at the Wupatki
National Monument, about 30 miles north of Flagstaff, said Phil
Alvidrez, executive news director at Channel 3. The state Department
of Public Safety sent the video to NASA on Tuesday morning for analysis.

Meanwhile, Valley residents continued to call police Tuesday about
possible debris sightings, and Phoenix fire officials also weighed in,
saying the ash that fell in a central Phoenix neighborhood could have
been from a stubborn house fire.

The fire broke out around noon Saturday in a two-story home near
Third Street and Camelback Road. The fire was not too far from the
neighborhood, near First and Missouri avenues, where debris reportedly
fell.

The house caught fire a second time early Sunday morning.

Assistant Phoenix Fire Chief Bob Khan said the smoke plume from the
fire picked up insulation, roofing felt, charred wood and piping that
could have been carried by heavy winds.

"It does seem like a coincidence that we had a fire the same morning
as the Columbia incident," Khan said. "But I don't know. I'm not an
expert in debris."

DPS Officer Steve Volden said more than 60 people called Tuesday about
debris. Few calls met the criteria for an officer to be sent. One
item turned out to be a leather trunk liner, Volden said.

In Yuma on Monday, reported debris turned out to be burned toast.

"Let's not overestimate this," Gov. Janet Napolitano said. "Every
piece of burned metal or ash that is found in Arizona over the next
two weeks is not necessarily from the shuttle."
Received on Wed 05 Feb 2003 11:39:20 AM PST