24 September 2003: NASA safety panel revamp needed, says ex-member, Huntsville Times “They cannot take whistleblower info because it is public record, which, in turn, doesn’t allow for privacy,” said Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee who runs a watchdog Web site called NASAWatch, www.nasawatch.com. “That can be corrected, and there may need to be some tweaking. Congress can have subcommittees given that power, and that would allow for whistleblower […]

27 August 2003: Send in your CAIB comments Editor’s note: What do you think about the CAIB’s final report? Did they get it right? Can NASA accomplish all of the CAIB’s recommendations? How should they do this? Send your comments to [email protected]. Your comments will be posted – please note if you wish them to be posted with your name or anonymously. — Your many replies thus far — Excerpt: […]

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Insufficient funding, tight schedules and poor leadership, all problems the Columbia investigative board set contributed to the shuttle disaster. The findings were part of a blunt and hard-hitting report released today.

SAN MIGUEL: Well, it was nearly seven months ago that the space shuttle “Columbia” broke apart as it reentered earth’s atmosphere, killing the seven astronauts on board. On Tuesday, the “Columbia” accident investigation board plans to issue its final report on the cause of the disaster.

Editor’s note: Astronaut Mike Foale left Earth on 18 October 2003 for his stay aboard the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 8 crew. I had the opportunity to ask him about use of the term “expedition” to describe these stays aboard the International Space Station twice – once several months before he left Earth, and recently, as he was in the final days of his stay in space. Transcripts of both conversations appear below.

31 July 2003: Report not singling out Marshall, Huntsville Times “Cramer, D-Huntsville, said the Columbia Accident Investigation Board is set to release its report by the end of August. Cramer met privately with board Chairman Adm. Harold Gehman earlier this month to discuss what Congress could do to help NASA. During that discussion, Cramer asked if Marshall would be singled out.” 31 July 2003: NASA studying landing flight paths to […]

KOPPEL: Joining me now to talk about the risks that NASA takes is Keith Cowing, the creator of the nasawatch.com. Mr. Cowing, the Columbia managers knew that it was this foam strike within a, you know, day or so of the launch, but assume that it did no serious damage. Would it have changed things in the end, in perhaps saving the crew of the Columbia, if they had come to a different conclusion sooner?

30 June 2003: Email Between JSC and the STS-107 Crew Regarding Foam Strike Editor’s Note: This email exchange occurred between Mission Control and Space Shuttle Columbia between 23 and 25 January 2003. 29 June 2003: IFMP: Balancing NASA’s Checkbook, SpaceRef “NASA has embarked on a path toward a total overhaul of its accounting system. While a lot of progress has been made, much more lies ahead. Of course, not everyone […]

Remarks by the Honorable Sean O’Keefe NASA Administrator Columbia Point Naming Ceremony U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. June 10, 2003

29 May 2003: Space Shuttle Leading Edge Foam Impact Test Update, CAIB “The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) reported the initial foam impact test on the Enterprise’s fiberglass leading edge panel showed significant effects.” 29 May 2003: Test supports theory foam doomed shuttle, USA Today “A test to simulate the blow from a piece of foam insulation smashing into the left wing of the space shuttle Columbia has provided investigators […]