Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

dairydog91

(951 posts)
53. It ain't true, Joe.
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 11:53 AM
Feb 2012

It's getting pretty silly to blame Reagan for blowing up the shuttle. Was Reagan somehow deeply committed to putting a teacher in space? Was it going to be a major part of his speech? Challenger disintegrated in 1986, so why would Reagan even particularly care if he got 100% of the applause lines he wanted, seeing as how he wasn't worrying about reelection at this point? Just because he would have liked to mention it doesn't mean that he was maniacally committed to the idea. Also, Challenger was carrying a communications satellite, and whichever government agency wanted that up had a far more personal interest in getting Challenger up ASAP.

Second, a Challenger-style failure was pretty much guaranteed by NASA's decision to go with the grossly-flawed shuttle design. I don't see how one can blame Reagan for decisions made in the 1970s over the shuttle design. The shuttle as launched did not have a way for astronauts to realistically survive a breakup of the launch stack (More a "bundle" in the case of the shuttle). Apollo had a system in which an emergency rocket motor could pull the entire capsule up and off the stack during launch. Shuttle had no such system; the shuttle could not jettison the crew section, and there was no realistic way to modify the shuttle to allow it that capability. Considering that launch stacks occasionally fail, using the shuttle meant that the loss of a crew was basically inevitable. Reagan had nothing to do with shuttle design; NASA sold the idea of the shuttle to Nixon and built it during the Carter administration. Reagan was simply handed this shit sandwich and told that it was a "reliable space truck". If anyone "killed" the crew of Challenger, it was NASA.

Edit: One thing to remember. Challenger's launch was delayed several times. The original launch time was on the morning of January 22nd, the disaster was on the 28th. Since it was supposed to be a six-day mission, had the original plan been followed the shuttle would have been on the ground and parked by the time Reagan would be delivering the SOTU.

NASA did a horrible, horrible thing, when they refused to listen to him. CaliforniaPeggy Feb 2012 #1
Not just NASA. no_hypocrisy Feb 2012 #11
Thank you for that information. CaliforniaPeggy Feb 2012 #12
Is this just more CT stuff? former9thward Feb 2012 #14
Here's what I could find online. I remember the discussion well in 1986 when it happened. Conceded no_hypocrisy Feb 2012 #21
Don't forget, a phone call doesn't leave a track hedgehog Feb 2012 #32
Well done Kolesar Feb 2012 #50
The launch had been delayed multiple times... Cassandra Feb 2012 #54
Ooooh defense of Reagan. Imagine that! Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2012 #59
Ooooh you building a strawman. Imagine that! former9thward Feb 2012 #60
The Gipper complicit. Tell me it ain't true, Joe indepat Feb 2012 #24
It ain't true, Joe. dairydog91 Feb 2012 #53
It is true. Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #61
I remember that discussion well - BlueMTexpat Feb 2012 #42
See My Post Farther Down ProfessorGAC Feb 2012 #52
If I remember correctly raygun wanted that flight that day madokie Feb 2012 #47
This was not an "engineering miscalculation". This error was a management error. The engineering rhett o rick Feb 2012 #2
yeah, that stuck out for me, too Blue_Tires Feb 2012 #7
The original Hyatt design for the supporting rods was exboyfil Feb 2012 #25
That's a natural corporate media, authoritarian bias coming through in the column. Uncle Joe Feb 2012 #15
The managers were also engineers. eomer Feb 2012 #27
In my book, once you become a manager, you stop being an engineer. nm rhett o rick Feb 2012 #28
Alan McDonald didn't stop being an engineer. Lionel Mandrake Feb 2012 #31
I was generalizing. A problem I see is that when you have engineers as managers rhett o rick Feb 2012 #36
Robert Lund's position at Morton Thiokol was "VP of Engineering". eomer Feb 2012 #43
I agree up to a certain level. However, good engineers dont necessarily rhett o rick Feb 2012 #48
RIP - You DID what you COULD, the shuttle astronauts will tell you that soon,,,,, benld74 Feb 2012 #3
Amen! Boombaby Feb 2012 #5
A man of honour, and a true public servant. PDJane Feb 2012 #4
An Example Of What Happens DallasNE Feb 2012 #6
iirc, there was also a lot of external pressure up top Blue_Tires Feb 2012 #10
A True Engineer burrowowl Feb 2012 #8
Does anyone know who was the on-site asshole that made the final decision to go for launch? denbot Feb 2012 #9
If I'm reading this correctly, Stanley Reinartz, Shuttle Project Manager Blue_Tires Feb 2012 #13
I think I found your answer denbot Lochloosa Feb 2012 #18
RIP Roger and thanks for your service. Uncle Joe Feb 2012 #16
You're welcome. Lionel Mandrake Feb 2012 #26
I was going to watch the launch at home and get to work a little late rocktivity Feb 2012 #17
I thought Reagan's speech on TV that evening was wonderful.... LeftinOH Feb 2012 #19
He died Jan. 6th. Not really LBN tawadi Feb 2012 #20
I remember Richard Feynman absolutely hammering NASA about the o-rings. edbermac Feb 2012 #22
This is a great read slutticus Feb 2012 #23
As I recall, Rogers was upset about that stunt. Lionel Mandrake Feb 2012 #29
Read "The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint" catrose Feb 2012 #30
actually, Tufte's point was that the Powerless Pointless slides failed MadLinguist Feb 2012 #38
It's been awhile since I looked at it catrose Feb 2012 #39
I think it is better for your career to stand by and let bad things happen hedgehog Feb 2012 #33
I attended a communications class that attempted to blame Boisjoly TrogL Feb 2012 #34
CORRECT Skittles Feb 2012 #35
I still remember vividly... sendero Feb 2012 #37
I will never forget that day. It's my birthday. Zoeisright Feb 2012 #40
IIRc, CNN had cut awayt to commercial. I had CNN on but didn't see it live. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2012 #58
Wow! Read this obit in the LA Times this a.m. & had never heard his story b4-Shocking!!!!!! SoCalDemGrrl Feb 2012 #41
Blessed be the truth-tellers... Surya Gayatri Feb 2012 #44
NASA Was Trying to Go from R&D to Operational Status and Pushed by Reagan to do so solarman350 Feb 2012 #45
Ignore engineers and scientists at your peril malaise Feb 2012 #46
Wow... first I've heard of this. 4_TN_TITANS Feb 2012 #49
I Remember Him ProfessorGAC Feb 2012 #51
''...as the vehicle cleared the tower Bob whispered to me that we had just dodged a bullet.'' Gabi Hayes Feb 2012 #55
IIRC, the plan was to have Reagan talk to the astronauts LIVE from the SOTU, not just mentioning it, GreatCaesarsGhost Feb 2012 #56
Very interesting article obamanut2012 Feb 2012 #57
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Roger Boisjoly dies at 73...»Reply #53