Amateur Radio continued its involvement with efforts to locate space shuttle Columbia debris, as NASA's search shifted focus last week to include points west of Texas.
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Space Bulletin 008 ARLS008

From ARRL Headquarters

Newington, CT February 26, 2003

To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS008

ARLS008 New Mexico Hams Help with Columbia Debris Search

Amateur Radio continued its involvement with efforts to locate space

shuttle Columbia debris, as NASA's search shifted focus last week to

include points west of Texas. According to NASA, the search for

parts is running along the shuttle's re-entry path, basically 60

miles north or south of a line from San Francisco, California, to

Lafayette, Louisiana.

New Mexico amateurs helped with efforts in the Albuquerque area last

weekend. Members of the New Mexico Search and Rescue Support Team

were involved with follow-up efforts in Embudito Canyon, in the

Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque.

Authorities asked the NM SAR Support Team to provide communication

and incident base support February 15 for a massive search involving

more than 150 searchers. Although several small objects were found

in the rugged terrain, none were attributed to the Columbia.

NASA has asked for help in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah in

locating any material that may have fallen from Columbia as it was

re-entering Earth's atmosphere. "Everyone is asked to be on the

lookout for possible shuttle material 60 miles north or south of the

re-entry track," NASA said.

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