Truth, lies, and O-rings
by Allan J. McDonald, James R. Hansen · first published 2009
60% recommend40% neutral
"On a cold January morning in 1986, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Challenger, despite warnings against doing so by many individuals, including Allan McDonald. The fiery destruction of Challenger on live television moments after launch remains an indelible image in the nation's collective memory." "In Truth, Lies, and O-Rings, McDonald, a skilled engineer and executive, relives the tragedy from where he stood at Launch Control Center. As he fought to draw attention to the real reasons behind the disaster, he was the only one targeted for retribution by both NASA and his employer, Morton Thiok
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If you want a much more detailed treatment that covers both every aspect of the technical issues, as well as the corporate and government malfeasance that lead to the disaster, consider “Truth, lies, and O-Rings” by Allan McDonald, the Thiokol program manager who would not sign of off on the launch and overruled by his executives. He had good things to say about Feynman, and definitely some axe grinding for other…
on “Hands-on Assignment – Therac-25 (2007)” ↗I'd recommend that anyone who is interested in the nitty gritty details of the Challenger disaster, and anyone who is in an engineering position and signs off of safety approvals, to read "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" by Allan McDonald. He was the Thiokol program manager who refused to sign the Thiokol safe-to-fly memo but was overruled by executives. The STS-4 erosion is discussed, as is erosion in the Minuteman…
on “40 years ago, a classified Shuttle mission foreshadowed Challenger's fatal flaw” ↗…temperature was measured as -13 deg C using infrared pyrometers, when the lowest ambient temperature that night was -5.5C, and the Left SRB was measured -4 C? What subcooled the right SRB? Allan McDonald's "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" is mandatory reading for anyone who wants to discuss the details of this particular bit of corporate and government malfeasance. It's 600 pages of technical detail and political intrigue. He suggests…
on “Artemis II is not safe to fly” ↗"Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open." This was the quote by Sir James Dewar that Morton Thiokol engineer Allan MacDonald put in the foreword to his book "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" -- highly recommended if you enjoy pondering organizational banality and how human decision-making works (and often doesn't). He goes on to say in the foreword: "I wasn't recommending not launching…
on “Challenger: The shuttle disaster that shook the world” ↗"Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" is a fascinating (if sometimes tedious) book that should be at the top of any reading list for those interested in the Challenger disaster. For me one of the more interesting side-bar discussions are…
on “Allan McDonald refused to approve Challenger launch, exposed cover-up (2021)” ↗…those people were overruled by people who cared primarily about their own lifestyle (social status, reputation, career, opportunities, loyalties, personal obligations, etc.) In Allan McDonald's book "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" he outlines how Morton Thiokol was having a contract renewal held over their head while NASA Marshall tried to maneuver the Solid Rocket Booster production contract to a second source, which would have…
on “Allan McDonald refused to approve Challenger launch, exposed cover-up (2021)” ↗I'm late to the party, but I work as a NASA contractor and have just recently been reading "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" by Mr. McDonald. Something that I find really frustrating is that it seems that there's an international "caste" of honest engineers who are ready, and have been ready for centuries if not millenia,…
on “Allan McDonald refused to approve Challenger launch, exposed cover-up (2021)” ↗quick typo correction, 'Truth, Lies, and O-Rings'
on “The Seal Failure in the SRB That Doomed Challenger (2021)” ↗