Email sent to NASA Headquarters telling of 'TPS' find:
Subject:
[Fwd: The 'debris' I found is from the ex-tank!]
Date:
Sun, 02 Feb 2003 14:13:33 -0600
From:
Jason Leigh <jasonsos@digitex.net>
Organization:
Workhorse Research: http://jasonleigh.org
To:
nasanews@hq.nasa.gov
Yesterday morning, after having watched the Columbia pass over my house and head towards the sun to
the east; it exploded and broke apart. I went inside and began watching the 'live' TV news reports, here
in North Texas.
About 45 minutes, to an hour later: I returned to my back porch and my eyes were drawn about 8 feet in front of me to the
ground, where I saw several pieces of 'TPS' (Thermal Protective Systems) used on the 'external tank' of the Columbia. Having
worked for NASA on the Challenger project (see here for Bio: http://jasonleigh.org/JLBio.htm), and having been an inspector at
one point of 'TPS': I certainly know what it looks like.
I put on rubber gloves, used a surgical hemostat and picked the pieces up, carefully placing them in 'air tight' plastic bags. I called
the Cleburne, Texas Police, who directed me to the Lt. at the Fire Department, who then related my information to FEMA. I was
told FEMA would certainly want to pick up these pieces ASAP.
No word yet, but they just arrived in Dallas this morning, and are likely very busy right now.
'TPS' is made of roughly 14 of THE most hazardous chemicals known to man, all called Polymeric Isocyanate.
I have retained ALL of my training manuals from when I worked on the shuttle projects, therefore, I have the documents, which
warn of the dangers of this byproduct from the shuttle (the 'tiles' are highly compressed TPS), as well as the external tank.
These pieces of 'debris' are VERY IMPORTANT for NASA to 'backtrack' what happened in the destruction that really began
at the launch when external tank TPS hit the left wing of the Columbia. I know this is what happened, based upon the footage
I've studied of the launch, and now these pieces of TPS, which fell down on a small town in Texas to the backyard of a former
employee well trained and even injured by this byproduct (TPS got into my left eye in 1985 causing severe burning, red
eye and triple vision for life) from the Columbia tragedy of February 1, 2003, 8:02 am CDT.
'Amazing . . .
I pray for the spirits of those who lost their lives, and for those who are yet to . . .
TPS breaks apart into particle form and can 'float' on the air like dust from a drape. It can be ingested even through the skin.
Pieces may have landed in Lakes, here in north Texas. We are yet to realize the dangers. Help me spread the word.
Only CBS TV news allowed me to warn the public but for a few minutes until I realized it was approaching comments that may
cause a panic, so I stopped talking and was then cut off by CBS.
Sincerely,
Jason Greywolf Leigh
* BTW [By The Way] The reader is encouraged to go to the Main NASA website, or any other NASA sub-site, and 'search' the terms used herein, the dangers of them and the chemical make up of 'TPS' Foam, as is used on the 'External Tank' of the Space Shuttle Projects.
* * The 'External Tank' used in Columbia's launch was made in 2000 AD, and was stored at the launch facility at Cape Canaviral, FL., making it right at three (3) years of age; waiting in a hangar. Was it a 'controlled environmental' hangar? Try to find out, and see where you are led.
Jason Leigh
