The lengthy document on the accident that killed all seven astronauts aboard the shuttle Columbia will recommend measures that can be taken to prevent future accidents and "will be delivered to Congress at 10:00 am," said Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

The board will issue recommendations for technical changes and organizational reforms for the US space agency, but it will be up to Congress and NASA to set a date for the resumption of shuttle flights.

The US space agency is aiming to resume manned shuttle flights as early as March 2004, after following the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's recommendations pretty much "to the letter," top NASA officials said earlier this month.

The board's report initially was to have been sent to Congress before the end of July but was postponed until August because of delays in drawing up the conclusions.

Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere on February 1.

Investigators are convinced that a foam panel which came off during takeoff on January 16 pierced the heat-insulating skin around the shuttle, letting in boiling gases and causing the spacecraft to break apart on re-entry.

SPACE.WIRE