Challenger Case Study in Engineering Ethics and Communications

Challenger: Case Study in Engineering Ethics and Communications Tom Rebold Adapted from Tufte, Visual Explanations And http: //www. footnote. tv/mwchallenger. html

The Incident January 28, 1986 Launch About 80 seconds after Launch

The Investigation

O-Rings were a known problem • 1970’s: less safe than more expensive alternative • 1985: scorching becomes noticeable • Thiokol analysis shows worse on colder days • Launch constraint by NASA (waived every launch) • Thiokol Engineer Roger Boisjoly warns superiors “we could lose a flight” • August ’ 85: NASA Meeting, no changes • Later, Feynman calls this strategy “Russian Roulette”

Night Before Launch • Boisjoly and others: “too cold, delay launch!” – Until 53ºF • Management: how come some warmer launches show scorching? – (crucial fact ignored--every single launch in cold temperatures showed damage) • Thiokol management gets the engineers to accept a launch recommendation.

Role of Communications Chart used by Thiokol Engineers on Jan 27 before launch

A Revised Chart by Rogers Commission Showing all launches Temperature at Challenger Launch, 32ºF

Obfuscation during investigation • Famous physicist Richard Feynman performs experiment on television – Dips o-ring in ice-water – Shows greater stiffness – also complains about slides, bullets • Edward Tufte, designer – Provides further damning analysis of charts – Condemns Power. Point

Another Communication Problem • Decisions • Knowledge of details

Epilogue • Several families sued NASA management – between $2 and 3. 5 million per family. – Morton Thiokol paying 60 percent • Roger Boisjoly, Thiokol engineer – – – testified before Congress sued Thiokol under a federal whistleblowing statute (lost) left the company underwent therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder awarded the Prize for Scientific Freedom from the AAAS, now lectures on workplace ethics issues (in Australia) • Thiokol gave up $10 million incentive fee – did not sign a document admitting to legal liability. • NASA bans commercial or military payloads from shuttle – launched on unmanned rockets