A new report has been released by NASA about the frenzied last-minute attempts by the seven astronauts abode the Columbia space shuttle, which met a disastrous end on February 1, 2003.

The 400-page analysis studies the problems with the spacesuits, restraints and helmets of the perished Columbia crew, which included Columbia's pilot William McCool, its commander Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon - the first astronaut from Israel.

According to astronaut Pam Melroy, the deputy chief of the recent study, the Columbia crew was at their problem-solving best, making efforts to recover the space shuttle that was cracking up during its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The hole in its left wing, which had occurred during its take-off, had done the damage.

Within seconds, the rapid depressurization in darkened module holding the crew led to their unconsciousness; and medical findings reveal that there was no way the astronauts could have survived!

Wayne Hale, deputy associate administrator NASA, who oversaw the shuttle program during its return to flight after the accident, said, "The report confirms that although the valiant Columbia crew tried every possible way to maintain control of their vehicle, the accident was not ultimately survivable."

On the basis of this study, the NASA study team recommends 30 changes, with regard to the helmets, spacesuits, and seatbelts, for the shuttle as well as the agency's next space capsule.

Hale has called upon all commercial and personal spacecraft designers worldwide "to read this report and apply these hard lessons which have been paid for so dearly."