NASA Identifies "Likely Direct Cause" of Genesis Crash

Isn't this sad?

"Investigators at NASA have linked the crash of the Genesis spacecraft on September 8 to a simple design error...all four switches were installed backward, as specified by the Lockheed Martin design..."

Scientific American

And this happened despite many layers of review. How could an agency that has put a man in space installs not one, but four switches backward?

This only further enforces the thought that Man is falliable.

Surf

EDIT: Got the title mixed up. Am I not a genius?

[edit on 10/21/2004 by surfup]

I have two words that can sum up why Gensis went wrong...

NASA'S STUPIDITY!!!!!



[edit on 21-10-2004 by Jazzerman]

Originally posted by Jazzerman
I have two words that can sum up why Gensis went wrong...

NASA'S STUPIDITY!!!!!

Not entirely, Lockheed was the one who screwed up in the first place. NASA should have gotten this one while reviewing it.

Surf

I would like to point out the fact that when China put a man into orbit, for the first time earlier this year, they kept the date, time and location of the launch an absolute secret. Why? What were they afraid of? The point being that a portion of these space and launch failures may not be design errors as stated. The space war started in the early 50's and there is no reason to believe systems haven't been developed to protect assets and maintain black cover.

Originally posted by surfup
...who screwed up in the first place. NASA should have gotten this one while reviewing it.

If NASA would directly check and control design they could start building these at their own while at it.

When you order/buy something you don't check its design, like do you check design (and is design capable to work properly) of PC parts you buy, or any other device?
No, you trust that company makes product which fills its specs and buy it if price is right.

Same way making of probes and rocket boosters has been given to commercial corporations, NASA gives them required specs and companies put up their plans with specs and pricetags and then NASA decides which one they buy. NASA just puts that probe to rocket boosters, after propably checking that it works as specified in "manual".

Originally posted by E_T
If NASA would directly check and control design they could start building these at their own while at it.

When you decide to put a billion dollar object in space, you have to make sure that those designs are installed correctly, even if the company that made them is lockheed martin.

If you ask me the policy is just absurd, if NASA had done that, we would have the data by now. Hopefully NASA will correct it.