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Columbia probe report to be released
Washington, Aug 26: Investigators probing the space shuttle Columbia disaster that killed Kalpana Chawla and six other astronauts will release their final report on the cause of the accident today.
Washington, Aug 26: Investigators probing the space shuttle Columbia disaster that killed Kalpana Chawla and six other astronauts will release their final report on the
cause of the accident today.
The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) report will also recommend steps to be taken to prevent such accidents in future.
CAIB will table the report before the US Congress today, board spokesperson Laura Brown said. CAIB chairman Admiral (Retd) Harold Gehman Jr and other board members will "review" the report at a media conference on the same day, she said.
The report will suggest technical changes and organisational changes at NASA, but will leave a decision on resumption of manned space missions to the space agency and the Congress. The CAIB report was to have been submitted to the Congress before July end, but was delayed over drawing conclusions on the findings.
CAIB was set up soon after space shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the earth's atmosphere on February 1 after a 16-day science mission.
Investigators believe a foam panel that came off during the shuttle's lift-off and hit insulating tiles on the spacecraft's left wing caused the accident. CAIB has already issued five interim recommendations to NASA regarding resumption of manned spaceflights. The space agency officials have promised to abide by the board suggestions.
Bureau Report
CAIB will table the report before the US Congress today, board spokesperson Laura Brown said. CAIB chairman Admiral (Retd) Harold Gehman Jr and other board members will "review" the report at a media conference on the same day, she said.
The report will suggest technical changes and organisational changes at NASA, but will leave a decision on resumption of manned space missions to the space agency and the Congress. The CAIB report was to have been submitted to the Congress before July end, but was delayed over drawing conclusions on the findings.
CAIB was set up soon after space shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the earth's atmosphere on February 1 after a 16-day science mission.
Investigators believe a foam panel that came off during the shuttle's lift-off and hit insulating tiles on the spacecraft's left wing caused the accident. CAIB has already issued five interim recommendations to NASA regarding resumption of manned spaceflights. The space agency officials have promised to abide by the board suggestions.
Bureau Report