Columbia Accident Investigation Board Minutes of Open Meeting Date of Meeting: Tuesday, May 6, 2003 Time of Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Location of Meeting: Hilton Houston Clear Lake 3000 NASA Road One Houston, Texas Board Members Present: Admiral Hal Gehman Major General John Barry Dr. Sheila Widnall Mr. Steven B. Wallace Mr. G. Scott Hubbard Major General Kenneth Hess Brigadier General Duane Deal Mr. Roger Tetrault Board Staff Present: Lt. Col. Tyrone Woodyard Terry Williams Patricia Brach J. William Sikora Other Government Employees Present in Their Official Capacity: Dr. Gregory J. Byrne, Assistant Manager, Human Exploration Science, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Office (ARES) Steven Rickman, Chief of the Thermal Design Branch Dr. Brian M. Kent, Air Force Research Laboratory "Research Fellow" David W. Whittle, Chairman of the Systems Safety Review Panel and Chairman of the Mishap Investigation Team in the Shuttle Program Office Paul S. Hill, Flight Director for NASA Space Shuttle and International Space Station Members of the Public who Presented Oral or Written Statements: R. Douglas White Director of Operations Requirements, Orbiter Element Department for United Space Alliance. Matters Discussed: The process used to enhance ascent video of the Shuttle Columbia and to identify the point of impact between the foam shed from the external tank and the reinforced carbon-carbon components on the leading edge of the left wing. The timeline of off-nominal sensor data from the final reentry of the Space Shuttle Columbia as updated to include information from the OEX data recorder recovered from the debris field. The results of radar cross-section tests in and the comparison of those results corresponding with ballistic characteristics to try to identify the object that was observed separating from Columbia during flight day two. The status of the collection and analysis of the debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia Matters Resolved at the Meeting: None Documents Received, Issued or Approved at the Meeting: None Back to Event