space.com...
this is some new infomation that should clear up this event...
this is a good outcome of the event:
Improve safety and reliability
"NASA's mission includes the development of technologies that improve the safety and reliability of access to space," said NASA's Deputy
Administrator Fred Gregory in a press statement regarding the release for study of recovered Columbia hardware.
"By allowing the scientific community to study Columbia debris, researchers will have the opportunity to gain unprecedented knowledge about the
effects of reentry," Gregory noted.
In time, more pieces of Columbia are expected to be loaned for testing and used to help better appraise the rigors of space travel experienced by both
piloted and automated spacecraft.