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Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington           June 13, 2003
(202/358-1898/1600)

RELEASE: 03-196

FORMER APOLLO & SHUTTLE COMMANDERS LEAD COLUMBIA ACCIDENT 
REPORT TASK FORCE

     NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today said two veteran 
astronauts, Apollo commander Thomas P. Stafford and Space 
Shuttle commander Richard O. Covey, will lead a 
distinguished task force to assess the agency's "Return to 
Flight" efforts and help implement the findings of the 
Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) when its final 
report is released later this summer.

"The Stafford-Covey Task Force will aid NASA by assessing 
the agency's return to flight plans for the Space Shuttle 
and STS-114," said Administrator O'Keefe. "Both men have 
rich backgrounds in technical engineering, safety, 
management, and other areas vital in expediting NASA's 
implementation of the Columbia Accident Investigation 
Board's recommendations."

A retired Lieutenant General in the U.S. Air Force (USAF), 
Stafford also chairs the NASA Advisory Council Task Force on 
International Space Station Operational Readiness. He flew 
four missions during the Gemini and Apollo programs. He 
piloted Gemini VI (1965) and commanded Gemini IX (1966). He 
traveled to the Moon as commander of Apollo 10 (1969). His 
last mission was the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975), which 
achieved the first rendezvous between American and Russian 
spacecraft.

"General Stafford has spent his life advancing exploration 
objectives," added Administrator O'Keefe. "He has served his 
nation and NASA for more than five decades in a variety of 
leadership positions. Heads of state from around the world, 
federal agencies, and private industry have all aggressively 
sought his counsel and stewardship. NASA is fortunate he's 
agreed to accept this important assignment."

Covey is a retired USAF colonel and veteran Space Shuttle 
commander. He served as pilot on STS-26 in 1988, the first 
flight after the Challenger accident. He has more than 30 
years of aerospace experience in the private and public 
sectors. 

Covey is a highly decorated combat pilot and Outstanding 
Graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School. During his 16-year 
career with NASA, Covey piloted STS-51-I (1985) and 
commanded Space Shuttle missions STS-38 (1990) and STS-61 
(1993), where he led the team that initially repaired and 
restored the ailing Hubble Space Telescope.

"Dick flew the first Space Shuttle mission following 
Challenger, so he has extensive experience with what it 
takes to help the space program return to safe flight," said 
Administrator O'Keefe. "There will always be risks 
associated with space exploration, but we're going to do 
what we can to mitigate those risks. Dick's experience will 
help the entire NASA family overcome those hurdles in the 
weeks and months to come."

The Stafford-Covey Task Force is made up of eminent experts 
and industry professionals. They come from a wide range of 
disciplines, with expertise in program management, 
engineering, hardware integration, safety, and systems 
evaluation. These initial members will oversee NASA's 
implementation of the CAIB's recommendations. They will work 
closely with NASA's Return to Flight team, led by Associate 
Administrator of Space Flight William F. Readdy and 
Associate Deputy Administrator for Technical Programs Dr. 
Michael Greenfield. Additional members will be added to the 
group throughout the implementation process.

Some of the members making up the highly honored panel 
includes:
*  Richard Danzig, an attorney and former Secretary of the 
Navy (1998-2001) during the Clinton Administration. He also 
previously served in the Carter Administration in the 
Department of Defense
*  Bill Anders, Apollo VIII astronaut, retired chairman/CEO 
of General Dynamics, and former member of the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission.
*  Ron Fogelman, retired General and former USAF Chief of 
Staff, with 34 years active service
*  Robert Sieck, member of the ASAP and aerospace 
consultant. He is former Director of Space Shuttle 
Processing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. He served as 
launch director for 52 Space Shuttle launches
*  William Wegner, U.S. Naval Academy graduate in 1948 and 
former deputy Director to Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, 
considered the father of the nuclear Navy
*  Dan Crippen, a veteran of Capitol Hill, former Director, 
Congressional Budget Office, and Domestic Policy Advisor to 
President Reagan
*  Walter H. Cantrell retired U.S. Navy (USN) Rear Admiral 
and member of NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP). 
He's a former Commander, Space and Naval Warfare Systems 
with a distinguished history of reviewing highly complex 
technical programs


The latest list of task force Members is available on the 
Internet at:

www.nasa.gov/news/highlights/return2flight.html

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