Department of Electrical & Electronic

Engineering
Independent University, BAETE
Accredited
Bangladesh

Marks Case Study 02 (Challenger)

Allocated Obtained Course Code EEE 422, Autumn 2022
Ethics, Engineering Economics
Course Title
and Management
Course
Md. Munir Hasan
30 Instructor
Due Date 11 Dec 2022, 08:00 Hr.s
Submission
10 Dec 2022, 06:50 Hr.s
Date
Student
1830819 Student Name Md Mushfiqur Rahman
ID

Question number 1
What are the major ethical lapses and the respective involved
parties in the Challenger Disaster Case?
Answer
1986, 6 astronauts and 1 School teacher total 7 crewmember
were killed when the space shuttle they were piloting, the
Challenger, exploded just over a minute into the flight. The failure
of the solid rocket booster O-rings to seat properly allowed hot
combustion gases to leak from the side of the booster and burn
through the external fuel tank. The failure of the O-ring was
attributed to several factors, including faulty design of the solid
rocket boosters, insufficient low-temperature testing of the O-ring
material and the joints that the O-ring sealed, and lack of proper
communication between different levels of NASA management.

The engineers asked for a delay in the launching of space shuttle

challenger as it was too cold at that time and wait until the
temperatures get higher, but the NASA management ignored the
Engineers recommendation and decided to launch the space
shuttle and the launch failed. NASA management could have
delayed the launch as per the recommendation of the Engineers,
then the failure would not have happened. The subordinates
actually recommended about the delay and could not do anything
differently because they have to listen to the management. If they
say anything differently they may get fired. The final decision is of
the management. So the subordinates could not have done much
except recommending for a delay in launch.

Question 2
Do you think Roger Boisjoly should have blown the whistle as the
engineering decision of “no launch” was overruled in favor of a
launch? Please give arguments in favor of your opinion.  

ANSWER :
Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into it's flight. There were
seven crew members who all got killed in the U.S. first accident
involving an American spacecraft in flight. This fatal accident in
the United States space program, is known as Space Shuttle
Challenger disaster. The main reason behind this unfortunate
incident was the failure of the two redundant O-ring seals in a joint
in the Space Shuttle's right Solid Rocket Booster . The warning
was given by the engineers that the space shuttle should not be
launched in low/freezing temperatures. If those warnings were
considered then this unfortunate event could have been stopped
from occurring. President Ronald Reagan established a Rogers
Commission to investigate the incident. During the investigation,
Rogers Commission criticized NASA's organizational culture and
decision making processes for their contribution in the accident. In
1977, test data had revealed a potentially catastrophic flaw in the
SRB's O-rings. NASA and Morton Thiokol both did not pay
attention and correct the issue.
Question 3
What are the three major key ethical take-ways from this case?

Answer :
Engineers also warned NASA's managers about the dangers
related to launch the space shuttle in cold temperatures. The
managers disregarded those warnings, and did not even report
those technical concerns to their superiors. Roger Boisjoly, was
an American mechanical engineer, fluid dynamicist, and an
aerodynamicist. He is famous for raising strenuous objections to
the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. His predictions were
accurate that the O-rings on the rocket booster would fail if the
shuttle is launched in cold temperatures. It is correct that Roger
Boisjoly raised the concerns related to spacecraft launch in 1986,
but, when NASA managers disregarded his warnings, he should
not have kept quiet, and should have reported his concerns to the
superiors of the NASA managers. If he did so then NASA's
superior management might have considered the technical
concerns, and the accident might have stopped from occurring.
Besides reporting to superiors, Roger Boisjoly, might have
informed the news media about the concerns related to the
launch. Media pressure could have stopped the launch of
spacecraft, and many lives might have been saved. Roger
Boisjoly, was considered a high-profile whistleblower, he blew the
whistle also, but, he should have tried more to make the superiors
ready to stop the launch. Being a high-profile whistleblower, if
Roger Boisjoly would have taken media support, and support of
other influencers then that unfortunate incident might have been
stopped from occurring.
So, in this way, Roger Boisjoly could have contributed in stopping
the launch of the spacecraft.