CAIB Releases New Report Volumes
Volumes II-VI of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's report on the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia and the STS-107 crew are now available on the Internet at www.nasa.gov. The new volumes contain appendices and additional information that supports the text of Volume 1. The first volume was released on Aug. 26.

The Board, which is also known as the CAIB, began its probe soon after the accident on Feb. 1. The CAIB report can be found on the Human Space Flight Web's STS-107 Investigation Reference page and the NASA Columbia Page.

Return to Flight efforts are under way. NASA released on Oct. 15 the first revision of its "Implementation Plan for Space Shuttle Return to Flight and Beyond." This revision reflects NASA's progress to date in responding to the recommendations and observations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB), as well as additional actions initiated by the Space Shuttle Program. The plan will be updated periodically.

Columbia broke up during re-entry over Texas en route to landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The STS-107 crewmembers -- Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Mission Specialists Michael Anderson, Dave Brown, Laurel Clark and Kalpana Chawla and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon of Israel -- were returning home after a successful 16-day scientific research mission.

NASA also moved the Columbia Recovery Office from Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to Kennedy Space Center. With the move, recovery coordination and storage of the debris are located at the same location. NASA still has its toll-free hotline for anyone who may have found Columbia debris. The number is 1-866-446-6603 and calls will be answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Memorial Tree Grove Evelyn Husband, wife of STS-107 Commander Rick Husband, participates in the tree planting ceremony in Johnson Space Center's Memorial Tree Grove. Looking on in the background is Johnson Space Center Director Jefferson D. Howell Jr.

STS-107 Trees Added to Memorial Grove
Seven live oak trees were planted in Johnson Space Center's Memorial Tree Grove in memory of the STS-107 astronauts -- Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon and Mission Specialists Michael Anderson, Dave Brown, Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark. The STS-107 crewmembers were lost Feb. 1, 2003, when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry. A member of each astronaut's family participated in the ceremonial tree planting on April 16, 2003.

The Memorial Tree Grove contains 40 trees, with 38 representing deceased astronauts. In January 1996, the grove began with seven live oak trees planted in memory of the STS-51L crewmembers who perished Jan. 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. Johnson Space Center officially established the Memorial Tree Grove on May 30, 1996.

Visit the STS-107 Crew Memorial on NASA's Human Space Flight Web.