Debris debriefing

Geography student uses statistics, modeling
to help find doomed shuttle parts

Using her skills in spatial analysis, a USC graduate student in geography mapped out a plan for more efficient recovery of debris from the space shuttle Columbia disaster this spring.

Tara Koman specializes in geographic information systems and spent two weeks in March in the Palestine, Texas, area providing maps for searchers looking for shuttle debris. After studying the density of the recovered items, Koman determined that debris would more likely be found farther north of the original search area: a significant finding that altered the recovery mission in her area.

“I did some statistical calculations and modeling procedures that showed me the better likelihood of finding specific left-wing parts was in a certain area above the search line,” Koman said.

NASA officials listened, and the results were positive.

“It was incredibly rewarding for me to speak with the guys who were coming out of the field each day,” Koman said. “They would say, ‘We found 100 items here and 50 items here.’ Before they might come in and say they’d found five items.”

Koman graduated in May and begins USC’s geography Ph.D. program this fall.