posted 08-18-2009 08:20 AM               

Jim Tull was on his boat when he found a large chunk of metal, which looks like it could be from the nose of the doomed space shuttle, Challenger. A NASA spokesman said keeping parts of a shuttle is illegal, but Tull says he's waiting for a letter back from them, and is hoping to work with the space agency. Tull said he wants to display the piece all over town, and use it as a teaching tool.

WJXT offers more details and imagery of the supposed part from Challenger found by Jim Tull of Jim's Automotive in Jacksonville:

"NASA's waiting to send me a letter back," Tull said. "They said, 'Hang on,' after I sent them some pictures. And they said, 'You can possibly keep it.' Maybe the one that blew up over Texas, every speck of that they need for investigation. This one here, maybe let me keep it. Go ahead and teach with it."

Tull said if NASA gives him the OK to keep it, the part will make it out of the garage, and he hopes all over town.

"I'll take some to the Coast Guard, take to the Captain's Club, put on display and talk about it," Tull said.

More images of the part from WJXT:

posted 08-18-2009 11:52 AM               

That being said, I can't imagine how many fragments of Challenger and Columbia have turned up that a) people keep and don't say anything about or b) people see and discard.

posted 08-18-2009 11:09 PM               

Tull also says he saw similar pieces at a museum in the Bahamas.

posted 08-19-2009 12:27 AM               

The Outer Space Treaty ("Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies"), which forms the basis for international space law, includes a provision that nations retain ownership of their spacecraft regardless of where it lands on Earth.

A State Party to the Treaty on whose registry an object launched into outer space is carried shall retain jurisdiction and control over such object, and over any personnel thereof, while in outer space or on a celestial body. Ownership of objects launched into outer space, including objects landed or constructed on a celestial body, and of their component parts, is not affected by their presence in outer space or on a celestial body or by their return to the Earth. Such objects or component parts found beyond the limits of the State Party to the Treaty on whose registry they are carried shall be returned to that State Party, which shall, upon request, furnish identifying data prior to their return.

posted 08-19-2009 05:32 AM               

One, after 23+ years in the salt water of the ocean there is a lack of significant corrosion. The material specifically that gives me that clue is the picture of the aluminum honeycomb core that is exposed, it shows clean. Also, the bolt shown would be heavily corroded after that length of time rather than the surface corrosion shown. I have seen a lot of corroded structure in my day and these pieces look very clean.

Second there is a lack any "sea growth" it may have been cleaned off but the remaining material should be significantly discolored.

posted 08-20-2009 09:09 PM               

However, the white "paint" seems a bit strange. Most aircraft leave the frame with that green zinc-chromate primer, except for some floor beams and interior parts. I recall space shuttle assembly photos showing the green primer color, not white.