Retired admiral Harold Gehman, chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, said the report will be much different from the one released after the loss of the shuttle Challenger in 1986.

"We are conducting a much broader review of NASA here, not only are we going to address the foam shedding issue, but we are going to address other issues we are concerned about," he said.

"We can do NASA and the shuttle program a world of good if we take a very broad and complex view of this and go after multiple causes and multiple flaws."

Columbia disintegrated on re-entering Earth's atmosphere February 1, killing all seven astronauts on board, just 16 minutes prior to its scheduled touchdown in Florida.

On May 6, preliminary results from the official inquiry were released, saying the disaster was probably caused by damage to a seal between protective tiles on the left wing, allowing superheated re-entry gases to enter and destroy the spacecraft.

The seal was likely damaged during liftoff January 16, when the shuttle's left wing was hit by a piece of insulating foam that broke off from one of the shuttle's external fuel tanks.

The report is expected to be released to the US Congress before their recess in August, but may be delayed, he said.

"It's much more important to get it right than on time."

SPACE.WIRE