The Challenger Disaster: A Lesson in Listening

The Challenger disaster, which happened 40 years ago, is a stark reminder of the importance of listening to experts. The story begins with Bob Ebeling, an engineer at Morton Thiokol, who was deeply troubled by the idea of launching the space shuttle in cold weather. He and other engineers had data showing that the O-rings, which were supposed to keep the rocket fuel sealed, could fail in freezing temperatures. They tried to convince NASA to delay the launch, but their warnings were not heeded. The engineers had been aware of the O-ring problem since 1981, but despite their concerns, shuttles continued to launch. This is an example of what sociologists call the "normalization of deviance, " where a risk is accepted because it hasn't caused a disaster yet. On the day of the launch, the engineers watched in horror as the Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff.The disaster was a turning point for NASA. The presidential commission that investigated the accident found that the launch decision process was flawed, and that the engineers' objections had not been properly communicated to the launch control team. NASA changed its procedures to ensure that contractor objections would reach the right people in the future. The Challenger disaster also highlighted the importance of ethical decision-making in engineering and leadership. Roger Boisjoly, one of the engineers who had warned about the O-ring problem, became a leading voice for ethical decision-making. He blamed both Thiokol and NASA for the disaster, and argued that the engineers had done everything they could to stop the launch. For Bob Ebeling, the disaster was a source of deep guilt. He carried that guilt for 30 years, until he finally received some comfort from NASA and other engineers. The story of the Challenger disaster is a reminder that listening to experts and making ethical decisions can save lives.