267 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
267 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
[Source](http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/result-would-be-catastrophe.html "Permalink to Letters of Note: The result would be a catastrophe")
|
||
|
||
# Letters of Note: The result would be a catastrophe
|
||
|
||
[skip to main ][1] | [skip to sidebar][2]
|
||
|
||
[ ![Letters of Note][3] ][4]
|
||
|
||
## About
|
||
|
||
Letters of Note is an attempt to gather and sort fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes, and memos. Scans/photos where possible. Fakes will be sneered at. Updated as often as possible; usually each weekday.
|
||
|
||
[Learn more here][5].
|
||
|
||
Edited by [Shaun Usher][6], who also runs [Lists of Note][7] & [Letterheady][8].
|
||
|
||
|
||
[Contribute/get in touch][9].
|
||
|
||
|
||
Follow Letters of Note...
|
||
[RSS][10]|[Email][11]|[Twitter][12]
|
||
[Tumblr][13]|[Facebook][14]
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][16]
|
||
|
||
## SEARCH
|
||
|
||
| ----- |
|
||
| | |
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][17]
|
||
|
||
## Archives
|
||
|
||
Many fascinating letters (currently 900 in total) can be found in the archives, [here][18]. Alternatively, below are the most popular.
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][19]
|
||
|
||
## Random Letter
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][20]
|
||
|
||
## Tuesday, 27 October 2009
|
||
|
||
### [The result would be a catastrophe][21]
|
||
|
||
![][22]
|
||
|
||
Just 73 seconds after launch on January 28th, 1986, the [Challenger space shuttle][23] broke apart over the coast of Florida and ended the lives of all seven crew members. A [subsequent investigation][24] determined that an [O-ring][25] failure on one of the shuttle's [solid rocket boosters][26], coupled with extremely cold weather around the time of launch, caused [the accident][27]. 6 months prior to the launch, the following memo was sent by [Roger Boisjoly][28] — an engineer working at [Morton Thiokol][29], the manufacturers of the solid rocket boosters — to the company's Vice President, in which he predicted the problem and warned of a potential "catastrophe of the highest order."
|
||
|
||
Boisjoly's warning went unheeded; he then attempted to halt the launch, unsuccessfully. Boisjoly later revealed this memo to the presidential commission investigating the disaster and was then forced to leave Morton Thioklol after been shunned by disgruntled colleagues. In 1988 he was awarded the [AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility][30] for his actions.
|
||
|
||
Transcript follows.
|
||
|
||
(This memo, along with 124 other fascinating pieces of correspondence, can be found in the bestselling book, [_Letters of Note_][31]. For more info, visit [Books of Note][31].)
|
||
|
||
![][32]
|
||
|
||
**Transcript**
|
||
|
||
> Morton Thiokol, Inc
|
||
Wasatch Division
|
||
|
||
Interoffice Memo
|
||
|
||
31 July 1985
|
||
2870:FY86:073
|
||
|
||
TO: R. K. Lund
|
||
Vice President, Engineering
|
||
|
||
CC: B. C. Brinton, A. J. McDonald, L. H. Sayer, J. R. Kapp
|
||
|
||
FROM: R. M. Boisjoly
|
||
Applied Mechanics - Ext. 3525
|
||
|
||
SUBJECT: SRM O-Ring Erosion/Potential Failure Criticality
|
||
|
||
This letter is written to insure that management is fully aware of the seriousness of the current O-ring erosion problem in the SRM joints from an engineering standpoint.
|
||
|
||
The mistakenly accepted position on the joint problem was to fly without fear of failure and to run a series of design evaluations which would ultimately lead to a solution or at least a significant reduction of the erosion problem. This position is now drastically changed as a result of the SRM 16A nozzle joint erosion which eroded a secondary O-ring with the primary O-ring never sealing.
|
||
|
||
If the same scenario should occur in a field joint (and it could), then it is a jump ball as to the success or failure of the joint because the secondary O-ring cannot respond to the clevis opening rate and may not be capable of pressurization. The result would be a catastrophe of the highest order - loss of human life.
|
||
|
||
An unofficial team (a memo defining the team and its purpose was never published) with leader was formed on 19 July 1985 and was tasked with solving the problem for both the short and long term. This unofficial team is essentially nonexistent at this time. In my opinion, the team must be officially given the responsibility and the authority to execute the work that needs to be done on a non-interference basis (full time assignment until completed.)
|
||
|
||
It is my honest and very real fear that if we do not take immediate action to dedicate a team to solve the problem with the field joint having the number one priority, then we stand in jeopardy of losing a flight along with all the launch pad facilities.
|
||
|
||
(Signed)
|
||
|
||
R. M. Boisjoly
|
||
|
||
Concurred by:
|
||
|
||
(Signed)
|
||
|
||
J. R. Kapp, Manager
|
||
Applied Mechanics
|
||
|
||
[ ![][33] ][34]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Comments are now [closed][35] on Letters of Note.
|
||
Get in touch via [email][36], [Twitter][37], or post...
|
||
Letters of Note, PO Box 322, Manchester, M21 3DL.
|
||
The bestselling Letters of Note books can be bought at [Books of Note][38].
|
||
|
||
Visit the [Archives][18] for hundreds more letters.
|
||
|
||
Follow Letters of Note: [RSS][10]|[Email][11]|[Twitter][12]|[Facebook][14]
|
||
|
||
|
||
[Share][39]
|
||
|
||
[Newer Post][40] [Older Post][41] [Home][4]
|
||
|
||
![][42]
|
||
|
||
Letters of Note: Vol.2
|
||
|
||
Out in the U.S. on Oct 11th.
|
||
|
||
[Pre-Order Now!][43]
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][44]
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][45]
|
||
|
||
![][46]
|
||
|
||
Letters of Note
|
||
|
||
Portable Edition - 06/10/16.
|
||
|
||
[More info here][47]
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][48]
|
||
|
||
## Most Read
|
||
|
||
\+ [To My Old Master][49]
|
||
\+ [Your pal, John K][50]
|
||
\+ [Wind the clock][51]
|
||
\+ [Your friend, Conan][52]
|
||
\+ [Hang on, my love][53]
|
||
\+ [Most beautiful death][54]
|
||
\+ [Our differences unite us][55]
|
||
\+ [Pixar don't finish films][56]
|
||
\+ [Love, Dad][57]
|
||
\+ [The Tiger Oil Memos][58]
|
||
\+ [Wilder, on Wonka][59]
|
||
\+ [Slaughterhouse Five][60]
|
||
\+ [Favourite memo ever][61]
|
||
\+ [I am very real][62]
|
||
\+ [Live like a mighty river][63]
|
||
\+ [Damn you all to hell][64]
|
||
\+ [Dear 8yr old Teresa][65]
|
||
\+ [The woman pays][66]
|
||
\+ [Idiot of the 33rd Degree][67]
|
||
\+ [A Personal Letter][68]
|
||
\+ [Message from another world][69]
|
||
\+ [I like words][70]
|
||
\+ [STAR TREK/Casting][71]
|
||
\+ [Not much has changed][72]
|
||
\+ [My name is David Jones][73]
|
||
\+ [The Masked Letter][74]
|
||
\+ [God is a human weakness][75]
|
||
\+ [TO A TOP SCIENTIST][76]
|
||
\+ [Eye Lines][77]
|
||
\+ [I can't live without you][78]
|
||
\+ [SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO PLAYERS][79]
|
||
\+ [IN EVENT OF MOON DISASTER][80]
|
||
\+ [I'll always be with you][81]
|
||
|
||
[ ![][15] ][82]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
CSS _designed by_ Mohd Huzairy from [MentariWorks][83] | Layout_ created by_ [Blogger Templates][84]
|
||
|
||
[1]: http://www.lettersofnote.com#main
|
||
[2]: http://www.lettersofnote.com#sidebar
|
||
[3]: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9Wl3AJ57V8/V3_A6Mp3UqI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/KOhAxRzfT3c8jWj3l3z54OkM2sIM1c6pgCK4B/s1600/lllogored.jpg
|
||
[4]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/
|
||
[5]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/09/dear-all.html
|
||
[6]: http://www.shaunusher.com/
|
||
[7]: http://www.listsofnote.com/
|
||
[8]: http://www.letterheady.com/
|
||
[9]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/p/send-letter.html
|
||
[10]: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LettersOfNote
|
||
[11]: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=LettersOfNote&loc=en_US
|
||
[12]: http://twitter.com/lettersofnote
|
||
[13]: http://lettersofnote.tumblr.com/
|
||
[14]: http://www.facebook.com/LettersOfNote
|
||
[15]: https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_wrench_allbkg.png
|
||
[16]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=Text&widgetId=Text1&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar2 "Edit"
|
||
[17]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=HTML&widgetId=HTML6&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar2 "Edit"
|
||
[18]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/p/archive.html
|
||
[19]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=Text&widgetId=Text4&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar2 "Edit"
|
||
[20]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=HTML&widgetId=HTML4&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar2 "Edit"
|
||
[21]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/result-would-be-catastrophe.html
|
||
[22]: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/7683089672_66c278ce0a_o.jpg
|
||
[23]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger
|
||
[24]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Commission
|
||
[25]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-ring
|
||
[26]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Solid_Rocket_Booster
|
||
[27]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster
|
||
[28]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Boisjoly
|
||
[29]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Thiokol
|
||
[30]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAAS_Award_for_Scientific_Freedom_and_Responsibility
|
||
[31]: http://booksofnote.com/book/letters-of-note
|
||
[32]: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2667/4050011740_4476a6741a_o.png
|
||
[33]: https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif
|
||
[34]: https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4701166441470224525&postID=3731888170409546180&from=pencil "Edit Post"
|
||
[35]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/06/and-thensilence.html
|
||
[36]: mailto:shaun%40lettersofnote.com
|
||
[37]: http://www.twitter.com/lettersofnote
|
||
[38]: http://booksofnote.com
|
||
[39]: http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pubid=ra-4f7bf49432d2cf34
|
||
[40]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/birth-of-roger-thornhill.html "Newer Post"
|
||
[41]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/whatever-you-do-dont-touch-his-hair.html "Older Post"
|
||
[42]: https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7509/29862997801_41fd21ae16_o.jpg
|
||
[43]: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/letters-of-note-volume-2.html
|
||
[44]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=HTML&widgetId=HTML2&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar "Edit"
|
||
[45]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=HTML&widgetId=HTML1&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar "Edit"
|
||
[46]: https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8049/28108243633_1037e92d76_o.jpg
|
||
[47]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2016/07/letters-of-note-paperback.html
|
||
[48]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=HTML&widgetId=HTML3&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar "Edit"
|
||
[49]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/01/to-my-old-master.html
|
||
[50]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/01/your-pal-john-k.html
|
||
[51]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/01/wind-clock-for-tomorrow-is-another-day.html
|
||
[52]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/04/your-friend-conan.html
|
||
[53]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/01/hang-on-my-love-and-grow-big-and-strong.html
|
||
[54]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/03/most-beautiful-death.html
|
||
[55]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/11/our-differences-unite-us.html
|
||
[56]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/06/pixar-films-dont-get-finished-they-just.html
|
||
[57]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/05/love-dad.html
|
||
[58]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/08/tiger-oil-memos.html
|
||
[59]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/06/part-of-this-world-part-of-another.html
|
||
[60]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/11/slaughterhouse-five.html
|
||
[61]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/09/ps-this-is-my-favorite-memo-ever.html
|
||
[62]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/03/i-am-very-real.html
|
||
[63]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/09/live-like-mighty-river.html
|
||
[64]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/10/damn-you-all-to-hell.html
|
||
[65]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/08/dear-8-year-old-teresa.html
|
||
[66]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/11/it-is-woman-who-pays.html
|
||
[67]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/01/youre-idiot-of-33rd-degree.html
|
||
[68]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/06/personal-letter-from-steve-martin.html
|
||
[69]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/12/we-have-message-from-another-world.html
|
||
[70]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/03/i-like-words.html
|
||
[71]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/08/star-trekcasting.html
|
||
[72]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/i-was-ready-to-sink-into-earth-with.html
|
||
[73]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/12/my-real-name-is-david-jones.html
|
||
[74]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/masked-letter.html
|
||
[75]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/word-god-is-product-of-human-weakness.html
|
||
[76]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/09/to-top-scientist.html
|
||
[77]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/01/no-wonder-mary-poppins-was-awful-in.html
|
||
[78]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/09/how-could-you-go-ahead-of-me.html
|
||
[79]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/06/special-instructions-to-players.html
|
||
[80]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/11/in-event-of-moon-disaster.html
|
||
[81]: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/09/i-shall-always-be-with-you.html
|
||
[82]: //www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4701166441470224525&widgetType=Text&widgetId=Text2&action=editWidget§ionId=sidebar "Edit"
|
||
[83]: http://www.mentariworks.com/
|
||
[84]: http://www.deluxetemplates.net/
|
||
|