The Columbia Accident Investigation Board's report, released yesterday, goes into much detail about what happened to the shuttle, and just how certain of the events that led to the break-up could have resulted from the confluence of various events. Way down on page 192, though, comes the meat of the matter:

"The evidence that supports the organizational causes also led the Board to conclude that NASAs [sic] current organization, which combines in the Shuttle Program all authority and responsibility for schedule, cost, manifest, safety, technical requirements, and waivers to technical requirements, is not an effective check and balance to achieve safety and mission assurance. Further, NASAs Office of Safety and Mission Assurance does not have the independence and authority that the Board and many outside reviews believe is necessary. Consequently, the Space Shuttle Program does not consistently demonstrate the characteristics of organizations that effectively manage high risk."

Perspective:

NASA, in other words, isn't set up right, or running right. To get anything to change at the Agency literally requires an Act of Congress -- and, even considering all the comments about how not everybody at NASA is a "rocket scientist," it's an absolute cinch that Congress isn't full of them, either.

The entire report, of which just 100 hard copies were printed, is available on line, where we suggest you go to do your research. In the meantime, let us not forget what NASA has done, and continues to do.

FMI: the report