American space agency, NASA has revealed that the crew of the Columbia space shuttle were not told about the damage to the craft and risks of crash on return.

The information was revealed on the 10 anniversary of the accident that claimed the lives of all the seven astronauts. A public memorial service was held at Florida to mark the event and pay respect to the crew that included first Indian woman in space Kalpana Chawla.

The Columbia space shuttle was on its way back from a routine 16-day science mission when it broke apart into pieces over the Texan skies. Wayne Hale, who later became space shuttle programme manager described the incident saying that Flight Director Jon Harpold had noted that nothing can be done to repair the damage to the shuttle’s TPS (thermal protection system)

Wayne Hale said that Harpold said that it would be better not to tell the crew of the damage and let them have a happy successful flight and die unexpectedly instead of informing them about the damage knowing that nothing can be done and have them wait in orbit until all the air ran out of the craft.