[Scan-DC] NASA shuttle announcement

[Doug K.]

Copied from www.nasa.gov, see next-to-last paragraph.

Doug K.

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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 a.m. EST Saturday as it descended toward a landing at the 
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. It was scheduled to touchdown at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. EST at an 
altitude of about 203,000 feet in the area above north central Texas. At the 
time communications were lost. The shuttle was traveling approximately 
12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18). No communication and tracking information 
were received in Mission Control after that time.

Search and rescue teams in the Dallas-Fort 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 be 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.

News media covering the Space Shuttle should stay tuned to NASA Television, 
which is broadcast on AMC-2, transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 85 degrees 
West longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical and 
audio is monaural at 6.8 MHz. Reporters can also go to any NASA center 
newsroom to monitor the situation.

New information, including the times and locations of press briefings, will 
be posted to this page.








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