Shuttle Debris Sought in NM

“February 15, 2003 01:40 PM EST


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Search teams paced through a steep mountain canyon outside Albuquerque on Saturday, looking for debris that might have fallen from the space shuttle Columbia as it was breaking up more than 200,000 feet above the Earth.

No shuttle debris has yet been confirmed west of Texas, but NASA says Columbia's troubles Feb. 1 started well off the California coast, and they have photos and eyewitness reports from California through New Mexico.

The Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque were targeted after people reported hearing a whooshing sound about the time the shuttle passed overhead, said Peter Olson, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety. He said there also was radar evidence, but he didn't know what.

"One of the things they are looking for is reinforced carbon-carbon, which is part of the leading edge of the wing, a protective part on the front side of the wing," he said. "They're hopeful they can find something because it would be an important part of the puzzle."

Part of the shuttle's left wing was found over a week ago in eastern Texas, where much of the debris has turned up, and authorities were continuing the search there Saturday.

In New Mexico, about 140 searchers headed into a rugged two-square-mile area of Embudito Canyon on the west side of the Sandia Mountains. The canyon is covered by juniper and pines and ranges in elevation from about 6,500 to 8,500 feet, narrowing and becoming steeper at higher terrain.

Authorities closed the area to hikers during the search.”

“I've hike that canyon many times. This isn't the same spot, but the same kind of terrain they are in.

East Face Sandias”