Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC

The following is a statement from retired Admiral Harold W. Gehman, Jr., who chairs the independent Space Shuttle Accident Investigation Board. Admiral Gehman toured the recovery area today with other members of the investigative panel.

Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs

Headquarters, Washington Feb. 4, 2003

(Phone: 202/358-1600)

Eileen Hawley

Johnson Space Center, Houston

(Phone: 281/481-5111)

Dwayne Brown

Lufkin Command Center

Lufkin, Texas

(Phone: 936/699-1019)

SPACE SHUTTLE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BOARD CHAIR

TOURS RECOVERY AREA

The following is a statement from retired Admiral Harold

W. Gehman, Jr., who chairs the independent Space Shuttle

Accident Investigation Board. Admiral Gehman toured the

recovery area today with other members of the investigative

panel.

"The purpose of our visit here today is to get out and look

at some of the debris recovery area. This makes the accident

more personal to us and prevents it from becoming an abstract

event.

"We're not going to solve this today. We're here to see what

the debris looks like and to get a sense of it personally.

"There are over 20 investigatory teams working on the various

aspects of the Columbia accident. The board will take

supervisory authority over all these activities.

"I'd like to compliment the many agencies involved in this

effort. As you know, FEMA is in charge of the recovery

effort, and our hats are off to the wonderful work they are

doing.

"We have no timetable, but we have two main responsibilities

here. One is to future astronauts, who need to know we've

done everything possible to make it safe for them to fly. The

other is to the three people currently in orbit on the

International Space Station, who need to have the Shuttle

program fly as soon as possible."

-end-