Stafford and Covey and the panel "will aid NASA by assessing the agency's return to flight plans for the Space Shuttle and STS-114," said O'Keefe.

"Both men have rich backgrounds in technical engineering, safety, management, and other areas vital in expediting NASA's implementation of the Columbia Acident Investigation Board's recommendations" expected in coming months.

Stafford has flown four times as part of the Gemini and Apollo programs, to the moon as commander of the Apollo 10 mission in 1969.

Covey was copilot of shuttle flight STS-26 in 1988, the first after the Challenger accident in 1986. He has flown a total of four shuttle missions.

The group led by the two astronauts includes experts and space industry professionals who are to work to resume shuttle flights early next year.

A piece of insulating foam that fell from Columbia's fuel tank on takeoff led to the shuttle's breakup February 1. A hole the foam opened in the left wing created a fissure that allowed superheated gases to enter and weaken the structure as the craft hurtled toward Earth. Seven astronauts were killed.

SPACE.WIRE