(Mar 4, 2009)

NASA has selected the members of the board that will investigate the unsuccessful launch of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), on February 24, 2009. Rick Obenschain, Deputy Director at NASA's Goddard Space Flight center in Greenbelt, MD., will lead the mishap investigation board. Dr. Patricia Jones, Acting Division Chief for the Human Systems Integration Division in the Exploration Technology Directorate at NASA Ames Research center has been named one of four other voting board members for the investigation. The board began its investigation March 3, 2009. The members will gather information, analyze the facts, and identify the failure's cause of causes and contributing factors. The board will make recommendations for actions to prevent a similar incident. The OCO satellite failed to reach orbit after its 4:55 a.m. EST liftoff February 24 from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base.