51829 Williemccool (2001 OD ) is an asteroid named for astronaut Willie McCool, who was killed in the STS-107 ("Columbia") space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. 51829 Williemccool was discovered on July 21, 2001 at Palomar Observatory by the JPL Near Earth Asteroid Tracking Program.
Over a year and a half elapsed between the time the time that the asteroid was discovered and the demise of the astronaut during his return to earth.