NASA News National Aeronautics and Space Administration John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 AC 321-867-2468 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For Release: May 9, 2003 KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham (321) 867-2468 JSC Contact: Eileen Hawley (281) 483-5111 KSC Release No. 35 - 03 NASA CONSIDERS OFFERING SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY SHUTTLE COLUMBIA DEBRIS NASA's Kennedy Space Center has issued a Request for Information (RFI), seeking organizations interested in using debris from the orbiter Columbia in researching the effects of reentry. Scientific, academic and governmental organizations interested are asked to submit their requests by June 6, 2003, detailing their previous experience, plans for use of the orbiter debris, and the scientific benefits expected to be gained by their research. "This is a general request to organizations outside the NASA family," said Mike Leinbach, Columbia reconstruction chairman and Shuttle launch director. "Through the efforts of outside researchers, we stand to learn a great deal regarding hypersonic and thermodynamic properties and their affects on spacecraft parts. This will greatly assist in the design and flight safety of future spacecraft." NASA has also requested input on how to best preserve and manage the debris from Columbia. The complete RFI can be found at: <http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=76#105670> An RFI is intended to solicit information to help NASA decide how to proceed. It does not represent a commitment to making Columbia debris available to any person or organization. Interested organizations should contact Steve Parker at the Kennedy Space Center Office of Procurement, by e-mail at Steve.Parker@nasa.gov or by calling 321-867-2928. -end- ------------------------------------------------------------- For automatic email subscriptions to this KSC originated press releases, send an Internet electronic mail message to mailto:ksc-news_release-subscribe@kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov. With no subject or message. The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription. To remove your name from the list at any time, send an email addressed to mailto:ksc-news_release-unsubscribe@kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov . With no subject or message. or you can (un)subscribe on the World Wide Web at: http://kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov/ Status reports and other NASA publications are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/kscpao.htm .
