SPACECRAFT ACCIDENTS: EXAMINING THE PAST, IMPROVING THE FUTURE Overview

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SPACECRAFT ACCIDENTSEXAMINING THE PAST,
IMPROVING THE FUTURE Overview

• Bryan Palaszewski
• working with the
• Digital Learning Network
• NASA Glenn Research Center

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Introduction

• Why discuss this subject?
• Past failures
• Learning from those failures
• Observations

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Why Discuss This Subject?

• Many failures have occurred in large space
  projects, as well as all very complex projects
• Learning from our mistakes makes us smarter and
  more efficient, wasting less time and money, as
  well as possibly saving human lives.

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Past Failures (1/4)

• Early experiments (1920-1940s)
• Early big robotic rockets (1950s and 1960s)
• Early human flights (1967, 1971)
• Soyuz 1 (1 lost in flight, 1967)
• Apollo 1 (3 lost in a ground test, 1967)

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Past Failures (2/4)

• Early human flights (continued)
• Soyuz 11 (3 lost during reentry, 1971)
• More-recent human flights
• STS-51L, Challenger (7 persons lost, 1986)
• STS-107, Columbia (7 persons lost, 2003)

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Past Failures (3/4)

• Many robotic missions have had accidents or
  failures
• Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-1, ground
  control enabled recovery, 1983)
• INTELSAT-VI communication satellite (Space
  Shuttle Endeavour used for recovery, 1992)

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Past Failures (4/4)

• Many robotic missions have had accidents or
  failures (continued)
• Mars Observer (lost, 1993)
• Mars Climate Orbiter (lost, 1999)
• Mars Polar Lander (crashed, 1999)
• With each accident, an investigation is conducted
  to find the reason(s) for the failure.
• Often there is a chain of incidents rather than
  just one cause.

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Learning From Those Failures (1/2)

• If a failure occurs, a major investigation
  committee is typically formed to find the cause.
• Causes are identified (as with a detective) and
  solutions are suggested.

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Learning From Those Failures (2/2)

• Sharing information is critical to success.
• Databases are created to teach those who follow
  what went wrong and how to prevent similar
  accidents in the future.
• Investigation committee reports are part of the
  information gathering and sharing.

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Observations

• Communication is key to all successes.
• Teams must understand one another to succeed.
• Sharing information is critical to success.
• Teaching by doing is important.
• Hands-on work is very important.

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With advanced propulsion, one must always look to
the past and look to the future.