Risky Technology Culture and Deviance at NASA: An Enlarged Edition

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a government agency that is responsible for the United States' civilian space program and aeronautics and space research. NASA is a leader in space exploration and has been responsible for some of the most iconic achievements in human history, including the Apollo moon landings and the Hubble Space Telescope.

However, NASA has also been plagued by accidents and disasters, including the Challenger disaster in 1986. The Challenger disaster was a major tragedy that killed all seven crew members and destroyed the space shuttle Challenger. The disaster was caused by a number of factors, including organizational culture, decision-making, and risk-taking.

In the aftermath of the Challenger disaster, NASA made a number of changes to improve safety. These changes included the creation of a new safety office, the implementation of new safety procedures, and the establishment of a new culture of safety.

The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA, Enlarged Edition

by Diane Vaughan

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	12479 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	680 pages
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NASA's risky technology culture was a major contributing factor to the Challenger disaster. This culture was characterized by a number of factors, including:

• A focus on mission success over safety. NASA was under intense pressure to succeed in its missions, and this pressure often led to decisions that put safety at risk.
• A lack of communication between engineers and managers. Engineers were often not given the opportunity to voice their concerns about safety, and managers were often unaware of the risks involved in their decisions.
• A lack of training and experience. Many of the engineers who worked on the Challenger project were young and inexperienced, and they were not adequately trained to handle the risks involved in the project.

Deviance is behavior that violates social norms. In the context of the Challenger disaster, deviance refers to the behavior of NASA employees who knowingly violated safety procedures. This behavior included:

• Ignoring warnings from engineers about the risks of the Challenger launch.
• Overriding safety procedures in order to meet deadlines.
• Concealing information about the risks of the Challenger launch from senior management.

The Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff. The disaster was caused by a failure of the O-rings in the shuttle's solid rocket boosters. The failure of the O-rings allowed hot gases to leak out of the boosters, which caused the shuttle's external fuel tank to explode.

The Challenger disaster was a major tragedy that killed all seven crew members and destroyed the space shuttle Challenger. The disaster also had a profound impact on NASA's culture and safety procedures.

In the aftermath of the Challenger disaster, NASA made a number of changes to improve safety. These changes included:

• The creation of a new safety office. The new safety office was responsible for overseeing all safety-related activities at NASA.
• The implementation of new safety procedures. The new safety procedures were designed to prevent future accidents and disasters.
• The establishment of a new culture of safety. NASA adopted a new culture of safety that emphasized the importance of safety over mission success.

The Challenger disaster was a major tragedy that had a profound impact on NASA. The disaster was caused by a number of factors, including organizational culture, decision-making, and risk-taking. In the aftermath of the disaster, NASA made a number of changes to improve safety. These changes have helped to prevent future accidents and disasters, and they have established a new culture of safety at NASA.

The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA, Enlarged Edition

by Diane Vaughan

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	12479 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	680 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE