[meteorite-list] Re: Joshua Tree, maybe

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:18:25 2004
Message-ID: <200302060107.RAA15668_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

>>As far as finding debris well off the flight path,
>>I think that it is possible with the shuttle tiles or any lightweight
>>material. I have a sample of a shuttle tile that I purchased at the
>>Visitor's Center at Kennedy Space Center. It is very light, and I can
>>see it traveling large distances away from the shuttle by the winds,

> By the time
>the debris has dropped low enough to experience significant
>differential drag, it's already over western Nevada.

Well, there is definite significent drag on the shuttle well
before it reaches California. The shuttle is glowing (per the
photos), and the astronauts have already embarked on their S-turns
maneuvers to slow down the shuttle. Eyewitnesses in both California and
Arizona have observed material coming off the shuttle, and then falling way
behind quickly. Have you taken the jetstreams into account?
Joshua Tree is directly south of western Nevada. I've looked
at a jetstream map, and it showed all jetstreams from Nevada are
heading south, towards southern California.

Ron Baalke
Received on Wed 05 Feb 2003 08:07:41 PM PST