At least three separate investigations to clarify the cause of the Columbia spacecraft disaster

At least three separate investigations are being conducted to clarify the cause of the Columbia spacecraft disaster, which resulted in the death of seven astronauts during their return to Earth from a space mission. The head of NASA has stated that he is personally committed to identifying the cause of the disaster and, after resolving the issue, to pave the way for the resumption of manned space flights. U.S. officials believe that a technical failure caused the disaster, but they will not rule out other possibilities, including a terrorist attack. Sean O'Keefe, the head of NASA, stated that the agency will also conduct its own investigations, with a retired admiral who oversaw the investigation into the bombing of the Cole destroyer leading NASA's independent investigations. Meanwhile, lawmakers have also announced that they will conduct their own separate investigations. Residents of East Texas and the neighboring state of Louisiana are witnessing the discovery of scattered pieces of the Columbia spacecraft, with the U.S. military now joining the search efforts. Officials have so far found over 1,500 pieces in East Texas. The Columbia spacecraft disintegrated yesterday while passing at an altitude of 60,000 feet over Texas, with debris scattered over an area of 800 square kilometers. The First Infantry Division from Fort Hood in Texas has dispatched the first team to assist the searchers, while NASA has warned the public to refrain from touching the spacecraft debris as it may be contaminated with toxic materials. Reports indicate that dozens of people have been hospitalized after touching molten metal fragments.