[20030212]RS21426_哥伦比亚号航天飞机灾难相关责任问题.pdf

1 This report was prepared under the general supervision of (name redacted), Legislative Attorney.2 CRS Report RS21408, NASAs Space Shuttle Columbia: Quick Facts and Issues for Congress.3 Matthew L. Wald and Andrew C. Revkin, Scientists Suspect a Wider Field of Debris, WithBreakup Starting Over California, N.Y. TIMES, February 5, 2003, at A19.4 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), NASA Announces CorrectedProcedure for Filing Damage Claims, at http:/www.nasa.gov/HP_news_03041_bb_030202.html (last modified Feb. 3, 2003).Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21426February 12, 2003Liability Issues Associated with the SpaceShuttle Columbia Disastername redacted and name redactedLaw ClerksAmerican Law DivisionSummaryThe loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia resulted in the tragic deaths of sevenastronauts and a hail of debris strewed over parts of at least two states. Investigatorsremain uncertain why Columbia was lost; there have been no definitive determinationsof underlying causes or fault. But while the facts of the Columbia disaster are unclear,the legal principles and processes that govern