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Final Project With Scripts For All Slide

The document is a case study on the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger accident. It summarizes the key facts of the accident, including that the shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members. It identifies ethical problems such as NASA and Thiokol potentially taking too many risks. It outlines affected parties like the crew's families and NASA/Thiokol violating safety protocols. The document proposes alternatives that could have been considered, such as extending the launch time if temperatures were unsafe for the O-rings. It assesses risk management alternatives and emphasizes the need for probabilistic risk assessment and redesign of vulnerable parts to prevent future accidents.

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35 views

Final Project With Scripts For All Slide

The document is a case study on the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger accident. It summarizes the key facts of the accident, including that the shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members. It identifies ethical problems such as NASA and Thiokol potentially taking too many risks. It outlines affected parties like the crew's families and NASA/Thiokol violating safety protocols. The document proposes alternatives that could have been considered, such as extending the launch time if temperatures were unsafe for the O-rings. It assesses risk management alternatives and emphasizes the need for probabilistic risk assessment and redesign of vulnerable parts to prevent future accidents.

Uploaded by

edumaceren
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Term Project for Course on Technological English

An Engineering Ethics Case


Study on the Space Shuttle
Challenger’s Accident

Advisor: Prof. Jyh-tong Teng


Students: 李彥德 (10902805)
卓廣霖 (10978044)林文正
(10878028) 黎長安
(10702808)

June 07, 2021


1. Introduction
 The space shuttle Challenger’s
accident happened on January 28,
1986.
 It exploded in the sky 73 seconds
after launch.
 Killing all seven crew

members aboard.
 To this day, the Challenger’s

accident has frequently been


used as a case study. Many
colleges and universities
have also used the accident
in classes on the ethics of
engineering.
2. Space Shuttle Challenger
Accident: Ethical Problems
 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) may have taken too many risks to keep
Congressional funding.

 Thiokol might have taken extra risks to keep its contract


with NASA.

 The principle of informed consent may have been broken.

 Some minor engineering concerns were overlooked.


3. Space Shuttle Challenger
Accident: Known Facts (1/2)
 1. Pressure Actuation of the O-ring Seal

Source: Engineering Ethics Case Study: The Challenger Disaster by M.P. Rossow, 2012
3. Space Shuttle Challenger
Accident: Known Facts (2/2)
 2. History of problems with joint seals  3. The Actual Launch

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster
4. Identify Affected Parties
 The death of the entire space shuttle crew and the
enormous psychological impact on their families.
 NASA managers had known since 1977 that
contractor Morton-Thiokol's design of the SRBs
contained a potentially catastrophic flaw in the O-
rings, but they had failed to address this problem
properly.
 Morton-Thiokol was the contractor responsible for the
construction and maintenance of the shuttle's solid
rocket boosters (SRBs).
 The credibility of US Government has deteriorated.
 Millions of Americans have dreams of going into
space.
5. Specify violation of the code of ethics
 Faulty Decisions: Through interviews with managers from
both NASA and Morton Thiokol. The result that incomplete
and misleading information reached NASA’s top echelons.
 The problem of violating the ethics of the company's manager
Morton Thiokol. Because Thiokol engineers told Thiokol
management about their concerns over the O-rings.
 Violation of technical ethics for the benefit of the group.
Thiokol's manager ignored his safety to please NASA.
 Engineers are not active in protecting the safety of the crew
when no action is taken to prevent bad decisions by
management.
 Engineers do not take action to avoid discrediting the
profession and cover-up violations that lead to wrong
decisions.
6. Formulate Alternatives and
Continue to Check Facts
Problem Solution
1. Extend the launch time
Temperature
2. Meet temperature standards.
1. Change the manufacturer
O-rings 2. Change the raw materials.

1. Make effective verification


Technical issues
2. Do risk management
7. Assess the Alternatives
Management method Equipment and facilities
Daily monitoring Factory inspection report

Audit mechanism Temperature monitoring


Risk of accident
Standard operating procedure Environmental situation
Security of crew

Economic benefits
Package tightness
Safety regulations Ethics
Qualified suppliers
Integration mechanism
Source

Material System
8. Construct Desired Options and
Persuade or Negotiate with Others
to Implement Options

 Probabilistic risk assessment needs to be considered


9. Take Actions

 Redesign of booster joint and other shuttle subsystems.

 Carry out a probabilistic risk assessment more in


evaluating.
Thank you for listening

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