Page 15 - 200303 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2003

Part of Shuttle cabin found 15 Part of Shuttle cabin found 15 Part of shuttle cabin burial, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz Texas border. Part of shuttle cabin found reported. Several school districts in Texas found Monday while closed The Columbia's massive debris were field grew even larger Monday as investigators searched the campuses NACOGDOCHES, Texas (CNN) -- A NASA officials confirmed that pieces of for debris. section of the Columbia's cabin 6 to 7 the shuttle were being found farther Investigators are worried some feet long was identified Monday by west than expected. (List of debris) pieces might never be found, a concern authorities in east Texas amid the Michael Kostelnik, NASA because the shuttle fragments might be search for debris from the doomed deputy associate administrator, said a toxic and because NASA wants as space shuttle. second collection site was being many pieces recovered as possible to established at Carswell Air Force Base help determine what caused the near Fort Worth, Texas, to assist disaster. investigators in that area. Despite repeated warnings of the The other collection site is at potential toxicity, some townspeople Barksdale AFB in northeast Louisiana were driving shuttle pieces into town near Shreveport, chosen for its and delivering them to authorities, said proximity to the debris field in east Sue Kennedy, Nacogdoches County Texas. Human remains are being taken emergency management chief. [End] there for identification. Fund to help more Experts estimated Columbia Fund to help more broke up nearly 40 miles above Earth, children of astronauts children of astronauts meaning the debris might be scattered Recovery team members guard debris found on a logging road as far west as Arizona. outside Hemphill, Texas, on "We want to get every last shred WASHINGTON (AP) -- A fund that Saturday. (AP) of evidence -- whether it be raised about $1 million to assist the documentation, whether it be witness children of the Challenger disaster in "I will tell you that we did locate statements, whether it be physical 1986 will launch an effort to do the same a section of the cabin here in evidence that may have fallen to the for the children of the Columbia crash, Nacogdoches County that was ground -- and put that into the pieces the board chairman said Sunday. approximately that size," Sheriff of the jigsaw puzzle that we will start Thomas Kerss said at a midday to assemble so we can identify the root With non-profit status and volunteer briefing. cause," said Bill Readdy, NASA's administrators, the Space Shuttle Children's Kerss said his officers also were associate administrator of space flight. Trust Fund was established with the support looking into the possible discovery of Hundreds of investigators and of NASA to provide for the health, more human remains. volunteers fanned out over Texas and education and related support of the children "We have received Louisiana searching a debris field of of the Challenger astronauts. approximately six more unconfirmed 28,000 square miles. Teams on The Challenger children are grown reports of sites that may contain horseback and in four-wheel drive up now, but fund board chairman Delbert D. Smith said he resisted pressure to dismantle human remains. We are in the process vehicles searched remote and heavily the fund, hoping tragedy wouldn't strike of trying to investigate those sites now. wooded areas. (Map) again but knowing that it could. They still remain a top priority," Kerss The search region in Texas "It's a terrible shock that, after 17 said. extends from Graceland County in the years, we're going to do it again," said More than 1,200 shuttle pieces, north to Jefferson County in the south Smith, an attorney in Washington, D.C. from large chunks to tiny shards, have and from Eastland County in the west "There's a great sadness in doing it and we been found in the county, Kerss said to Sabine and Orange counties in the also know from having done it before that earlier. east. there was a great need." Human remains had previously Investigators used global The fund has paid out an estimated been found in other locations, positioning satellites to create maps of $1.2 million to the Challenger families. according to Bob Cabana, director of the debris field and to mark spots Most of the money was collected from flight crew operations at NASA's where debris had been located. individuals who mourned with the nation Johnson Space Center in Houston. At the huge Toledo Bend when the shuttle exploded in a fireball shortly after liftoff on January 28, 1986. "Yesterday was probably the Reservoir on the Sabine River, which "It was an outpouring from the hardest day of my life," said the forms part of the Texas-Louisiana country that we've never seen before," former astronaut. border, search teams scoured the water Smith said. "It was fairly small amounts FBI evidence response teams where witnesses reported seeing a piece from corporations. We had beautiful letters from Houston, Dallas, Texas, and New of debris the size of a compact car go from Sunday school classes and 25 cents Orleans, Louisiana, are handling the in. taped to pieces of paper." recovery of the remains. The reservoir is used for A post office box will be established Israel is sending a military drinking water, and after testing the Monday to receive donations through Bank Rabbinate representative to ensure water for contaminants, state officials of America for the 12 children of the that if remains are found of the assured residents it is safe. Columbia crew after an emergency meeting country's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon, Other shuttle parts were of the fund's board of trustees on Monday, they are treated according to Jewish reported in western Louisiana near the Smith said. tradition and returned to Israel for