The report will be issued to NASA, Congress, and the news media at 10:00 AM that day, followed at 11:00AM by a press briefing by the chairman of the investigation board, retired Navy Adm. Harold Gehman Jr. Other supporting material will be released separately over the next month. Few surprises are expected to be included in the report.
It was determined during a foam impact test in early July that a 1.5 pound chunk of foam insulation damaged the left wing of Columbia during takeoff. This damage allowed super-hot plasma to enter the wing during reentry.
The report will most likely share the blame equally between the foam damage, and the “culture of silence” at NASA, which prevented many from voicing their concerns over the safety of the flight after reviewing video of the foam strike.
