Congress, CAIB criticize NASA on shuttle safety
Posted: Sun, May 18, 2003, 2:49 PM ET (1849 GMT)
Members of Congress as well as the chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) criticized NASA for lax shuttle safety standards last week. During a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee about the shuttle investigation last Wednesday, CAIB chairman Harold Gehman said that NASA's safety organization "on paper is perfect", but upon closer examination "there's no 'there' there." Gehman noted in particular that the NASa safety office doesn't have a big enough technical staff to conduct the thorough safety assessments required for flight readiness reviews. Several times during the hearing Gehman corrected statements made earlier in the hearing by NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, including one where O'Keefe claimed that foam damage had been found on only four shuttle flights; Gehman noted that every shuttle flight has some record of foam debris damage. O'Keefe did say, under questioning from committee chairman Sen John McCain, that NASA would hold people accountable for their actions related to the loss of Columbia once the CAIB completes its report.
Members of Congress as well as the chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) criticized NASA for lax shuttle safety standards last week. During a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee about the shuttle investigation last Wednesday, CAIB chairman Harold Gehman said that NASA's safety organization "on paper is perfect", but upon closer examination "there's no 'there' there." Gehman noted in particular that the NASa safety office doesn't have a big enough technical staff to conduct the thorough safety assessments required for flight readiness reviews. Several times during the hearing Gehman corrected statements made earlier in the hearing by NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, including one where O'Keefe claimed that foam damage had been found on only four shuttle flights; Gehman noted that every shuttle flight has some record of foam debris damage. O'Keefe did say, under questioning from committee chairman Sen John McCain, that NASA would hold people accountable for their actions related to the loss of Columbia once the CAIB completes its report.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, October 22
Eutelsat Communications: First Quarter 2025-26 Revenues
Business Wire — 5:06 am ET (0906 GMT) Musk rages at Trump's Transportation head on X: He "is trying to kill NASA!"
Axios — 4:58 am ET (0858 GMT) Muon Satellites To Use SpaceX Starlink Laser Comms
Aviation Week — 4:57 am ET (0857 GMT) SpaceX targets Wednesday morning for Starlink launch out of Vandenberg Space Force Base
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 4:56 am ET (0856 GMT) Oman spaceport seeks to lure launchers from Europe, Asia
Semafor — 4:53 am ET (0853 GMT) |
