Space Shuttle Columbia Remembered
Release Date: January 30, 2004
Release Number: FNF-04-002
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia began its return trip to Cape Canaveral, Florida following a successful mission. Sensors began noting unusual readings while the shuttle was off the coast of California. While flying over Texas, NASA lost contact with the shuttle and around 8:00 a.m. CST, the shuttle broke apart over Texas and Louisiana.
Within 30 minutes, FEMA Region VI staff were notified of the accident and a watch team was established in the regional operations center. Within two hours, the operations center was fully operational and initiated critical mission assignments. When search operations concluded in May 2003, more than 25,000 local, state and federal personnel were involved in the Columbia search and recovery operation.
Columbia Recovery Operation -Facts
- After three months, search personnel recovered more than 82,500 pieces of shuttle debris equaling a total weight of 84,800 pounds, or almost 40 percent of the total dry weight of the shuttle.
- Ground, water and air searches combined covered nearly 2.3 million acres.
- Water operations successfully identified more than 3,100 targets and covered 23 square miles.
- No debris has been found west of Littlefield, Texas or east of Fort Polk, Louisiana.
- More than 130 federal, state and local agencies participated in the recovery effort.
- FEMA has contributed more than $170 million to the shuttle response and recovery efforts and anticipates about $69 million in additional expenses.
Last Modified: Friday, 30-Jan-2004 16:23:59