Public Invited to Presentation on Space Shuttle Columbia Accident Investigation
Contact: Darrell Donahue, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 207-581-2728
ORONO, Maine — Lieutenant Colonel Larry Butkus of the U.S. Air Force Academy will give a public presentation at the University of Maine on March 29 about the investigation into the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. Butkus was a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) that examined causes of the accident.
The UMaine College of Engineering is sponsoring the presentation at 3:30 p.m. in room 100 of the Donald P. Corbett Business Building.
Butkus is an officer in the Department of Engineering Mechanics at the Air Force Academy. He worked as an engineering investigator with the CAIB for four months and, after returning to the Academy, continued to participate in the investigation for another six months.
During the presentation at UMaine, Butkus will review the cause of the accident and the role of the CAIB in the subsequent investigation. He will focus attention on the technical aspects of the CAIB’s efforts.
During his visit to UMaine, Butkus will also meet with faculty and students in the College of Engineering.