NASA Administrator Supports Columbia Trust Effort

NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe is among the speakers
scheduled to formally inaugurate a campaign Tuesday, Sept.
16, to raise funds to support the families of the crew of the
Space Shuttle Columbia. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m.
EDT at the National Press Club in Washington.

The Columbia Memorial Trust was announced Sept. 16 and will
assist the families of Columbia’s crew, help erect memorials
in honor of STS-107, and pursue various activities that build
awareness about space programs.

Volunteers from a wide variety of space, defense, and
entertainment fields have given their time and resources to
establish and guide the Columbia Memorial Trust. They include
actor Tom Cruise; Academy Award winning filmmakers Ron Howard
and Brian Grazer; space pioneer and former U.S. Senator John
Glenn; Chairman Emeritus of Lockheed Martin Corporation
Norman Augustine; Warner Brothers Entertainment President
Alan Horn; Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and
Space Museum General Jack Dailey; President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Edelman public relations firm
Richard W. Edelman; and a number of former NASA astronauts,
including Frank Culbertson, Charles Bolden, Dr. Kathryn
Sullivan, and Guion “Guy” Bluford.

The Trust is also championed by an ex officio membership of
public officials including Administrator O’Keefe.

The Administrator’s remarks will be replayed on NASA
Television. Anyone interested in attending the event should
contact Laurie Rossbach, 202/326-1797.

For information about the Columbia Shuttle Memorial Trust on
the Internet, visit http://www.columbia7trust.org/.

A complete NASA TV schedule is available on the web at
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html.