Ownership Of Shuttle Debris

As a result of linking to Louisiana coverage of the Columbia disaster earlier in the week, Naked Ownership has received numerous searches inquiring into the ownership of shuttle debris. As highlighted by Denise, several attorneys have already addressed this topic.

Further, Space.com has an article that reports on the conviction of a former national guardsmen for stealing a tile from the Challenger. Charles Starowesky attempted to auction a tile from Challenger on E-Bay, but instead of making a little extra cash he was convicted for theft of government property. CNN writes that there are nine reports of people finding shuttle debris and not turning it in. Those cases have been turned over to the assistant U.S. district attorney's office in Lufkin, Texas.

In short, even if debris has landed on private property, NASA still owns it and anyone who fails to relinquish it faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Posted by AJR at February 8, 2003 10:12 PM