Space Shuttle Columbia Part Found In East Texas Eight Years Later

[Family Ties Forever!]

I was surprised to read that a piece of the shuttle was found eight years after the shuttle exploded. I remember when this happened. I was in college at the time. Pieces of the shuttle were found on campus.

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Space Shuttle Columbia Part Found In East Texas
By the CNN Wire Staff

Posted: Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Updated: 4:47 pm CDT August 2, 2011

Pierre Ducharme / Reuters
(CNN) -- The recent drought has ruined millions of acres of farmland in Texas, turning lakes into mud puddles, but in the East Texas city of Nacogdoches, authorities say, the drought may have done something good: Unearthed a piece of the space shuttle Columbia. The object, which is about 4 feet in diameter, was found in a local lake. NASA says it is a tank that provides power and water for shuttle missions. "It's one of ours," said Lisa Malone, a spokeswoman for the agency.

Malone added that NASA is trying to develop a plan to recover the item, but it could take weeks to get it. "We're looking into whether we'll send a team out or local authorities can," Malone said. Authorities say the object was found after the drought caused the waters to recede in Lake Nacogdoches, and they notified representatives from NASA on Friday. "The lower water level has exposed a larger than normal area on the northern side of the lake," said Sgt. Greg Sowell of the Nacogdoches Police Department.

The item is full of mud and is in a remote area near a private shoreline, Sowell said. Nacogdoches made headlines in 2003 when debris from the shuttle Columbia disaster was found there. The spacecraft broke up while re-entering Earth's atmosphere near the end of its mission on February 1, 2003. "We want to remind everyone that the rules are the same as they were back in 2003. If this object is indeed a part of the shuttle, it is government property, and it is a criminal offense to tamper with it," Sowell said.

CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report.
Copyright CNN 2011

[tiredmike59]

So much for finders keepers.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by tiredmike59

So much for finders keepers.

Some idiots actually tried to sell parts from Columbia on eBay.

[yankeesrj12]

Government property? You mean the property our tax money goes into buying?

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Some idiots actually tried to sell parts from Columbia on eBay.

Now that is the sickest thing I've ever heard. That is beyond callous.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Now that is the sickest thing I've ever heard. That is beyond callous.

As I recall, eBay was ending the listings almost as quick as they were posted.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

As I recall, eBay was ending the listings almost as quick as they were posted.

THANK GOD!!!!!

[Schmoopie]

My brother was going to school in Nacogdoches, Texas and that is a VERY small town so when I heard that the shuttle crashed there, it completely freaked me out! He said that he and his friends went downtown to see the debris. Wow, it's amazing that they found more debris, but it's even more amazing that this happened 8 years ago already! Doesn't seem like it was that long ago!

[catlover79]

I seem to recall that pieces of Challenger washed up several years after its destruction. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.