Russian booster rocket comes down over Colo., Wyo.

Thursday, January 4th 2007, 12:18 pm

By: News On 6

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) _ A spent Russian booster rocket re-entered the atmosphere over Colorado and Wyoming early Thursday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

NORAD spokesman Sean Kelly said the agency was trying to confirm a report that a piece of the rocket may have hit the ground near Riverton, Wyo., at about 6 a.m. MST. Kelly said military personnel had not yet reached the scene.

No damage was reported and the debris was not believed to be hazardous, NORAD said.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing flaming objects in the sky at the time the rocket was re-entering, Kelly said.

NORAD identified the rocket as an SL-4 used to launch a French space telescope in December.