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Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington 							

February 2, 2003

RELEASE: 03-034

NASA ANNOUNCES SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BOARD 
(THE GEHMAN BOARD)

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today announced the members of the 
Space Shuttle Mishap Interagency Investigation Board, which will 
provide an independent review of the events and activities that led up 
to the tragic loss of the seven astronauts Saturday on board the Space 
Shuttle Columbia.

The board's first meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at Barksdale Air 
Force Base in Louisiana.

Retired U.S. Navy Admiral Harold W. Gehman, Jr., who co-chaired the 
independent commission that investigated the attack on the U.S.S. Cole 
in Aden, Yemen, Oct. 12, 2000, and once served as the 
commander-in-chief of U.S. Joint Forces Command, will chair t he 
panel. 

"While the NASA family and the entire world mourn the loss of our 
colleagues, we have a responsibility to quickly move forward with an 
external assessment to determine exactly what happened and why," said 
Administrator O'Keefe. "We're honored to have suc h a distinguished 
panel of experts, led by Admiral Gehman."

Other members of the investigative board includes:

* Rear Admiral Stephen Turcotte, Commander, 
   U.S. Naval Safety Center, Norfolk, Va.
* Major General John L. Barry, Director, Plans and Programs,
   Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command,
   Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
* Major General Kenneth W. Hess, Commander,
   U.S. Air Force Chief of Safety, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
* Dr. James N. Hallock, Aviation Safety Division Chief,
   U.S. Department of Transportation, Cambridge, Mass.
* Steven B. Wallace, Director of Accident Investigation,
   Federal Aviation Administration, Washington
* Brigadier General Duane Deal, Commander 21st Space Wing,
  Peterson Air Foce Base, Colo.

Several senior NASA leaders also will be a part of the panel, 
including G. Scott Hubbard, Director, NASA Ames Research Center, 
Moffett Field, Calif. Bryan D. O'Connor, NASA Associate Administrator 
and former astronaut, Office of Safety and Mission Assura nce, 
Headquarters, will serve as Ex-Officio Member, and Theron Bradley, 
Jr., NASA Chief Engineer, NASA Headquarters, Washington, will be 
Executive Secretary.

"We need to be responsible, accountable, and extremely thorough in 
this investigation," added Administrator O'Keefe. "This panel is 
charged with a most difficult task, but I am confident in their 
ability, their integrity, and their dedication to doing wh at's right. 
Their findings will help push America's space program successfully 
into the future."

"Currently, NASA is beginning an internal investigation, drawing on 
the extensive expertise throughout the agency. Public officials for 
NASA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other federal, 
state, and local entities are coordinating talents t o help find the 
cause of this tragedy," concluded Administrator O'Keefe

Additional information about the investigation and the STS-107 mission 
is available on the Internet at:     http://www.nasa.gov

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov

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