The Nation - News from Jan. 6, 1988

NASA defended its safety record in response to a critical internal report, saying space shuttle safety remained a top priority. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said that when it received the report in July most of the safety concerns raised were being addressed and that “nearly all the recommendations either were implemented while the report was being prepared or have since been implemented.” The agency said in a statement that the report was based on information gathered between Nov. 6, 1986, and Feb. 6, 1987, by a Safety Risk Assessment Ad Hoc Committee named to make an independent review of shuttle safety procedures in the wake of the Challenger explosion that killed seven crew members on Jan. 28, 1986. The Atlanta Constitution published excerpts of the report this week.