NASA pays $26+ million to Columbia Family Members

It was announced that NASA paid $26.6 million to family members of the astronauts that died in the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. This was an out-of-court settlement with the families. They obtained the money through a congressional appropriationin 2004 in order to pay this award. The families do not wish to discuss it further. This is a private matter, after all, a very sad happening. They didn't announce how much money each family received but a husband of astronaut Laurel Clark thought the figures were on the "low side" of what they were seeking. No amount of money can bring back their loved ones.