ESA Director General comments on Columbia Accident InvestigationBoard report (Forwarded)

European Space Agency
Press Release No. 54-2003
Paris, France 28 August 2003

ESA Director General comments on Columbia Accident Investigation Board report

Commenting on the Columbia accident report delivered to NASA by the independent
Investigation Board, Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of the European
Space Agency, said:

"The loss of Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew on 1 February has deeply
affected the space community worldwide. Despite the heavy toll taken by this
accident, we maintain our commitment to share space exploration with our
International Space Station partners and contribute to future crewed missions.

The European Space Agency acknowledges the outstanding work done by the
Columbia Accident Investigation Board and all who contributed to a report of
exceptional quality making sound recommendations.

ESA will work shoulder to shoulder with NASA and its international partners to
ensure that ISS operations continue at the highest level of safety".

"Meanwhile, in anticipation of a safe return of the Shuttle fleet to human space
flight, the ESA astronaut corps is carrying on with training and other
assignments in preparation for the upcoming flights by ESA astronauts Pedro
Duque and André Kuipers to the ISS on Russian Soyuz launches in October 2003 and
April 2004 and later in 2004 by ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang on a US Space
Shuttle," added Jörg Feustel-Büechl, ESA Director of Human Space Flight.

For further information, please contact:

Franco Bonacina
Spokesman/ Head of Media Relations Service
ESA Media Relations Service
Tel: + 33 1 5369 71 55

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMZ..._index_1.html]
The seven STS-107 crew members. Seated in front: astronauts Rick D. Husband
(left), mission commander; Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist; and William C.
McCool, pilot. Standing are (from the left) astronauts David M. Brown, Laurel B.
Clark, and Michael P. Anderson, all mission specialists; and Ilan Ramon, payload
specialist representing the Israeli Space Agency.

Credits: NASA