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Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 8:30 AM
FA 3.1

An Overview of the Space Shuttle Columbia Accident from Recovery Through Reconstruction

S. McDanels, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Kennedy Space Center, FL

The recovery and reconstruction efforts resulting from the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia required the combined expertise of over 16,000 people nationwide. The entire investigation, ranging from locating the debris in the field to characterizing and identifying "slag" deposits on the debris' surfaces, was a heretofore unprecedented endeavor. An overview of the logistics involved and the rationale for selected analyses will be detailed.

Summary: TBA