Challenger Disaster_1

Challenger Disaster_1

1. Manaegment

   • Organisational
     • Time Constraints
       • Pressure From Government to launch
         • Teacher in Space, lots of publicity surrounding the event
     • Management decisions
       • O rings had not been rated below 12 degrees fahrenheit (Smith 2002)
         • Abnormally cold temperatures during the night prior to launch (Smith 2002)
           • Latent Failure from regulators- Management/ Organisational
     • Operational Routine
       • The Challenger completed 9 successful missions between 1983 and 1986.
         • NASA had been having trouble with O rings for many years (Smith 2002).
           • A design change was planned for 1988 that would do away with the need for O rings (Smith 2002).
             • Latent Failure with Regulators - Managment/Organisational
   • Job Design
     • Pressure to launch rocket even in adverse weather conditions (Oberg 2011)
       • SRB contract up for renewal
         • Engineers recommendations ignored
           • Latent failure from Management - Organisational
   • Information Transfer
     • Temperature data less than adequate
       • Latent Failure from Management - Organisational
     • Astronauts not consulted regarding safety concerns (Rosenberg 2014).
       • Management- Policies/ Procedures
     • Engineers Recommendations ignored
       • Management were aware of issue but failed to act
         • Management decision Failure

2. People

   • Team Factors
     • NASA
       • NASA'S workforce to small to cope with Shuttles proposed flight rate (Howell 2012).
         • Productivity precedence over safety concerns
           • Latent Failure from Management/ Organisational
       • Cultural Problems
         • Failure to voice all problems to the launch decision team (Howell 2012)
           • Immense pressure to launch
             • Latent Failure from Management/ Organisational
           • Inadquate Information transfer - Pre Condition
   • Individual Factors
     • Challenger Crew
       • Not consulted regarding Safety Concerns (Howell 2012)
         • Management/ Policies Procedures - Latent Failure

3. Workplaces

   • Workplace Factors
     • Unusually cold temperatures at launch during hours prior to launch
   • Equipment Design
     • Challenger Built in November 1975 as a test vehicle by Rockwell (Howell 2012).
       • Rockwell appointed to convert test vehicle into space craft, work completed in 1981 (Howell 2012).
     • Structural Testing began 1978 (Howell 2012)
       • Computer Systems not advanced enough to measure the stresses placed on shuttle during various stages of fight (Howell 2012).
         • Design Flaw - Precondition
   • Work Environment
     • Intimidating culture where getting the rocket to launch took precedence over safety (Howell 2012)
       • Failures to voice problems to Launch Team
         • InformationTransfer/ Inadequate Management/ Policies Procedures- Latent Failure

4. Design Life Cycle

   • Construction
     • Materials
       • Cost of Materials
     • Manufacturing
       • Workers
         • Cost of labor
     • Testing/ Quality control
   • Decommissioning
     • When Space shuttles are decommissioned they are usually put in museums for public viewing (Taylor 2012). As the challenger had been blown apart, all remaining fragments of the shuttle were burried at cape canaveral air force station (Howell 2012)
   • Maintenance
     • Parts/ Repair
     • Refueling
   • Concept
     • Lading Capicty
       • Room for astronauts
       • Weight of fuel
     • Engine Room/Boosters
     • Emergency Survival kit for Astronauts should something go wrong.
     • Crew Module
       • Deceleration fuction
   • Operating
     • Usability
       • Ergonomically designed
     • Controls
     • Operator Skills/ Requirements
       • Fit for work
     • On board facilities
       • Toilet
       • Emergency Respirator
     • Function
       • To transport Astronauts to satellite (Howell 2012)

5. System Parts

   • Challenger Spacecraft
     • Crew Module
       • No System to Decelerate (Than 2011)
         • Design Flaw - Precondition
     • O rings
       • Not rated below 12 degrees Fahrenheit (Smith 2002)
         • Design Flaw - Precondition
       • Stiffer in extremely cold weather (Smith 2002)
     • Rocket Booster
       • Positioned too close to externat fuel tank
     • External Fuel Tank
   • NASA
     • Roles and Responsibilities
     • Training
     • Tasks
     • Culture
       • Under extreme pressure to deliver from both the public and the government
         • Management/Organisational - Latent Failure
   • Government
     • Pressure to have the best space shuttle program in the world (CNN Library 2014).
       • Public
       • Russia/Soviet Union
   • Public
     • Excited to see launch
       • Teacher in Space (Greene 2014)