Stratofox begins search for Debris 6: Initial scouting expedition, April 8-11, 2004

We were looking at areas in southwestern Utah and southeastern Nevada which may be where "Debris 6" impacted. Debris 6 is the largest piece of debris which was shed over the western states from the space shuttle Columbia. It was shed from the orbiter at Mach 22 over the California/Nevada border immediately following the mysterious flash in Columbia's ionization trail. If it ever is found, it may tell us what that flash was.

This was the itinerary we followed:

• Thursday, April 8: travel from San Jose, California to SW Utah
• Friday, April 9: scout out accessibility of Utah search areas
• Saturday, April 10: scout out accessibility of Nevada search areas
• Sunday, April 11 (Easter): travel back to San Jose

NASA gave up on its western-states ground searches in 2003 after only a few weeks when the flight data recorder was found in Texas. Data recovered from that discovery showed that the orbiter's heat shield was already breached before re-entry. Any debris found in the West would therefore not lead investigators to the root cause of the accident.

NASA did search numerous search boxes in this area with assistance of local officials and volunteers. However, these search boxes were all based on radar data using computer algorithms which were hastily developed following the accident. Though NASA would probably have tried other areas if their searches weren't cancelled only a few weeks after they started. Stratofox is searching a different area which was not on NASA's list, based on ballistics computations by Rob Matson and on eyewitness reports of glowing debris impacting terrain minutes after the orbiter passed, as quoted in the CAIB final crash investigation report. Though Matson's numbers appear credible enough on their own, since Stratofox found a correlation between the two sources that's definitely worth a look.

We hope that readers will understand that, for the time being, Stratofox is not publicizing the exact search area except to say it's in southwestern Utah and southeastern Nevada. This is so that we won't help souvenir hunters who would keep or attempt to sell any debris they find.

If Stratofox finds any shuttle debris, we'll contact both the Sheriff in whichever county it is found and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. We'll get photographs and GPS coordinates, and then only move it with permission of the proper authorities. Note that shuttle debris in the West is not believed to be toxic like those found in Texas, having departed the orbiter before the hydrazine tanks burst. However, space shuttle debris is still US government property and any action other than to turn it over to the local Sheriff, state police or NASA would not be legal. eBay prohibits sale of shuttle debris for this reason.

This effort was a direct result of discussion at Stratofox's STS-107 photographers & eyewitnesses meeting held on Feb 1, 2004, the first anniversary of the accident. Among the people who participated in this trip, Will Galloway and Ian Kluft were eyewitnesses to Columbia's re-entry, both having viewed it from different locations on Mount Hamilton, east of San Jose, California. Other Columbia eyewitnesses and photographers have also expressed interest in participating in Stratofox's search efforts. Even though NASA and CAIB have officially closed the books on the crash investigation, some NASA contracters have also expressed interest in helping in their spare time. It seems to affect them much the same way as the eyewitnesses.

(Update added 1/31/2005) Stratofox presented a report about the Search for Debris 6 at the second STS-107 photographers & eyewitnesses meeting on January 29, 2005.