Ethics Lectures The Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy - An: MAE 175a
Ethics Lectures The Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy - An: MAE 175a
Ethics Lectures The Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy - An: MAE 175a
ETHICS LECTURES
The Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy An
Overview
MAE 175a
3rd ethics lecture
Sources: http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/archive/general/ethics/shuttle.html
http://www.engineering.com
Presidential commission report
http://www.aerospaceweb.org
http://onlineethics.org/moral/boisjoly/RB-intro.html
2/10/2014
Partial failure
during launch
Black puffs of
smoke from
right aft SRB
joint
Sealed up with
Al2O3 after a
very short leak
Excessive wind
shear dooms
mission
Highest wind
shear ever
recorded ~ 1
minute into flight
Attitude control
and wind lurch
vehicle
Seals re-open,
allowing flame to
jet from SRB
2/10/2014
Hot gases
impinge on
H2 tank
Tank melts,
liquid H2
vaporizes
O2 tank fails,
orbiter
engulfed in
flame
Orbiter spins,
loading causes
structural
failure
2/10/2014
2/10/2014
Reflections
Role of the engineer
Role of the manager-engineer (important)
Can sometimes best translate engineering judgment and
experience into decisions
Organization and Communication
Complicated, closed- and open- meetings in levels
NASA management decision to proceed due to LACK
of data (and possibly lack of judgment?)
Reversal of older cautionary procedures
Pressure of superiors (white house, media)
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Bibiography
(to go with suggested references at the beginning)
Feynman, Richard Phillips. What Do You Care What Other People Think: Further Adventures of a Curious
Character. Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub, ISBN 0553347845, Dec 1992. Reference added by request of
Sharath Bulusu, as being pertinent and excellent reading - 8-25-00.
Lewis, Richard S.Challenger: The Final Voyage. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988.
McConnell, Malcolm.Challenger: A Major Malfunction. Garden City: Doubleday, 1987.
Trento, Joseph J.Prescription for Disaster, New York: Crown, c1987.
United States Congress House Committee on Science and Technology.Investigation of the Challenger
Accident: Hearings before the Committee on Science and Technology, US House of Representatives, NinetyNinth Congress, Second session .... Washington: US G.P.O., 1986.
United States Congress House Committee on Science and Technology.Investigation of the Challenger
Accident: Report of the Committee on Science and Technology, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth
Congress, Second session. Washington: US G.P.O., 1986.
United States Congress House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. NASA's Response to the
Committee's Investigation of the "Challenger" Accident: Hearing before the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, First session, February 26, 1987.
Washington: US G.P.O., 1987.
United States Congress Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on
Science, Technology, and Space. Space Shuttle Accident: Hearings before the Subcommittee on Science,
Technology, and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate,
Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second session, on space shuttle accident and the Rogers Commission report,
February 18, June 10, and 17, 1986. Washington: US G.P.O., 1986.