The greatest search operation: people unite to find Space Shuttle Columbia debris.(Debris Mapping)

GEO World, May, 2005 by Chien, Philip

Space Shuttle Columbia broke up over East Texas on Feb. 1, 2003, scattering debris over a 2,400-square-mile area. The effort to recover as much debris as possible has been called the "greatest coordinated search operation in recorded history," and geospatial technology played a major role.

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A couple of hours after the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, NASA Manager Bill Readdy cautioned, "If you find debris, do not touch it; do not move it. Contact your local authorities. Authorities need to impound the debris and secure the area." Concern about debris was serious, because the shuttle, with poisonous propellants onboard, broke up over populated areas.

Many in NASA wondered how the...

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