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Text of NASA Statement
Text of a statement from NASA after the loss of communication Saturday
with the space shuttle Columbia:
A space shuttle contingency has been declared in mission control
Houston as a result of the loss of communication with the Space Shuttle
Columbia at approximately 9:00 EST Saturday as it descended toward a
landing at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. It was scheduled to touch down
at 9:16 EST. Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at
9:00 EST at an altitude of about 62 km in the area above north-central
Texas. At the time communications were lost, the shuttle was traveling
approximately 20 000 km/h - 5.5 km/s (MACH 18). No communication and
tracking information were received in mission control after that time.
Search and rescue teams in the Dallas-Forth Worth and in portions of East
Texas have been alerted. Any debris that is located in the area that may
be related to the space shuttle contingency should be avoided and may be
hazardous as a result of toxic propellants used aboard the shuttle. The
location of any possible debris should immediately reported to local
authorities.
Flight controllers in Mission Control have secured all information,
notes and data pertinent to today's entry and landing by space shuttle
Columbia and continue to methodically proceed through contingency plans.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
2003-02-01 11:37
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