MANY YEAR AGO, THE GREAT BRITISH EXPLORER GEORGE MA ASKED WHY HE WANTED TO CLIMB MT. EVEREST, HE SAID IT WAS IT IS THERE. SPACE IS THERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO CLIMB IT. LIFT OFF, WE HAVE A LIFT OFF, 32 MINUTES PAST THE HOUR. WE ON THE MOST HAS ORD US AND DANGEROUS AND GREATEST ADVENTURE ON WHICH MAN HAS EVER EMBARKED. THAT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MAN KIND. THROTTLING UP. CHALLENGER, GO WITH THROTTLE UP. OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR MALFUNCTION. WE WILL NEVER FOR GET THEM NOR THE LAST TIME WE SAW THEM THIS MORNING AS THEY PREPARED FOR THEIR JOURNEY AND WAVED GOODBYE AND SLIPPED FROM EARTH, TO TOUCH THE FACE OF GOD. WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. WE KNOW PRECISELY HOW THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. [MUSIC] THE STARS IN THE SKY WERE LIKE THE STARS IN HIS EYES, TWINNINGLING AS HE TOLD ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO FLY IN SPACE. A GREAT PLEASURE FOR US TO BE HERE, WE EXPECT WEATHER LIKE THIS ON SUNDAY WHEN WE LAUNCH AND YAWL RFER DO YOUR BEST TO KEEP IT THAT WAY, IF YOU WOULD. I AM SO EXCITED TO BE HERE. I DON'T THINK ANY TEACHER HAS EVER BEEN MORE READY TO HAVE TWO LESSONS IN MY LIFE. NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ANTICIPATED FLYING 60 FLIGHTS EVERY YEAR WHEN IT FIST WAS CUN VEEIVED CONCEIVED, AFTER THE POWER PROGRAM WAS OVER. THEY WERE GOING TO FLY ONE OF THESE EVERY WEEK A YEAR, AND BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SO REUSABLE FOR MANY FLIGHTS THEY TRIED TO RECOVER AS MUCH OF THE HARDWARE FOR REUSE, WHICH INCLUDED THE WHOLE ORBITER, AND THE ONLY THING THAT WAS EXPENDED WAS THE BIG, EXTERNAL TANK. ROCKET BOOSTERS WERE RETRIEVED OUT OF THE OCEAN UNDER PARACHUTES, AND BROUGHT BACK TO REFURBISH, AND RELOAD AND THE PROBLEM THEY QUICKLY RAN INTO IS THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO REFURRISH ALL THIS HARDWARE AND GET IT BACK ONLINE. IT BECAME THAT KIND OF FLIGHT RATE WASN'T POSSIBLE AT ALL. THAT WAS THE CONCEPTION OF THE SHUTTLE ON THE FIRST PLACE, WAS A REAL FREIGHT TRAIN TO SPACE. I REMEMBER WHEN THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM WAS ANNOUNCED AND I THOUGHT THAT'S KIND OF NEAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT HAVING A REUSABLE VEHICLE WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO. I REALIZE NOW THAT THAT'S PROBABLY A MISTAKE. THE SHUTTLE WAS TREMENDOUSLY COMPLICATED. RIDING ON A ROCKET'S NOT A REAL SMART THING TO DO. THE FACT IS IT'S FRAUGHT WITH RISK, AND ESPECIALLY WITH A COMPLICATED VEHICLE LIKE THE SHUTTLE. I REMEMBER ON MY FIRST BACK IN 1983, AT TWO MINUTES THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS HAD EXPANDED THEIR FUEL I DISTINCTLY THINKING MY CHANCE OF SURVIVING WERE WAY UP. IT'S TRUE, WE KNOW SOLID ROCKETS ARE MORE DANGEROUS INHERENTLY THAN LIQUID FUEL ROCKETS. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR ISSUES IN THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER, ONE WAS THE EXCESSIVE EROSION ON THE NOZZLES AND SOME EROSION ON THE O-RINGS, BOTH IN THE FIELD JOINTS AND THE NOZZLE JOINTS. THE O-RINGS HAD REDUNDANCY. THE WERE TWO O HFS RINGS IN THE SYSTEM, ONE A PRIMARY, THE OTHER A SECONDARY. THAT'S ONE OF THE CONDITIONS YOU TRY TO CREATE FOR A MANNED SPACE FLIGHT IS HAVE REDUNDANCY WHEREVER YOU C. UNFORTUNATELY SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS THERE ARE ONLY PLACES YOU DO THAT. HAD FLOWN THE SHUTTLE IN 85, WHEN WE PULLED THOSE BOOSTERS BACK WE NOTICED ON ONE JOINT ON EACH BOOSTER WE HAD TRAPPED SOOT BETWEEN THE TWO O-RINGS, HEAVY, THICK, BLACK SOOT. THE PRIMARY SOME EROSION, THE SECONDARY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, BUT THE PRIMARY O-RING HAD LOST ITS SEAL AND WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THAT OCCURRED ON THAT PARTICULAR FLIGHT. WE WENT BACK THROUGH ALL THE RECORDS AND THE TOLERANCES AND ALL THE DESIGN, AND FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE COLD TEMPERATURE. AT THAT TIME THAT WAS THE COLDEST LAUNCH, UH, THE SHUTTLE HAD EXPERIENCED WHICH AT ABOUT 53-DEGREES FAIRN HEIGHT. I FAHRENHEIT. I WAS AMAZED THE ASTRONAUTS WERE PT AWARE OF THESE IN-FLIGHT U NON EAMS. HE WAS U NONALLIES. HE WAS ANOMALIES. HE WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE BOOSTERS IN THIS CASE, NONE OF THE ASTRONAUTS WERE. MY SECOND FLIGHT WAS APRIL OF 1985 AND I WAS THE FLIGHT ENGINEER, WHICH WAS MY STS-51 FLIGHT. THERE WERE NEAR FAILURES IN THE NOZZLE IN THE O-RINGS IN OUR FLIGHT, ON OUR VEHICLE. SO APPARENTLY TO MY GREAT SURPRISE WE CAME CLOSE TO BEING THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT. THE BIG CONCERN FINALLY CAME ABOUT WHEN WE NOTICED THEM IN TAKING OFF THE NOT NOZZLE AT THE BACK END OF THE BOOSTER THAT HAS ALSO TWO O-RINGS, THE PRIMARY O-RING WAS TOTALLY ERODED THROUGH IN THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THAT CREATE AD REAL CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FLIGHT FROM O-RINGS. HE GOT SO EXASPERATED I THINK AT ONE POINT HE DECLARED WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, WAIT UNTIL SPRING? HE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE . I'M ONE OF THE THREE PEOPLE ON BOARD WHO'S AND IT WILL BE MY FIRST TIME TO FLY. WE'RE JUST ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, GETTING THE SECRET HAND SHAKE. WE LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF THAT TRAINING PERIOD AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER. ALL THE TRAINING THAT WE DID, EMERGENCY TRAINING FOR THE ORBITER, VERY, VERY SIMILAR TRAINING TO TRAINING AIR CREW DOOZ, IN MARINE CORPS AND NAVY. TRAINING FOR WATER SURVIVAL AND SURVIVAL IN THE WOODS. WE HAD A MOCK UP IN HOUSTON WHERE IF YOU WERE EVER TO CRASH LAND OR GO OFT RUNWAY, YOU HAD TO GET OUT SOMEWHERE. WE PRACTICED WATER SURVIVAL TRAINING SUCH THAT IF WE DID HAVE TO BAILOUT OVER THE OCEAN WE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO OUR RAFTS AND OUR SUITS AND EVERYTHING AND BE COMFORTABLE. BECAME A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE. WE GATHERED FREQUENTLY IN MY HOME. THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ATTENTION. SHE WAS REPRESENTING EVERY CIVILIAN ON THE WORLD IN THIS WONDER FM OPPORTUNITY TO FLY IN SPACE AND SHE WAS SO PRECIOUS, CLEVER, UM, SHE BECAME EVERYONE'S FRIEND NEXT DOOR. THAT ANTICIPATION OF COMING TO THE CAPE PRIOR TO A LAUNCH INTO SPACE, THIS WAS REALLY NEAT. IT WAS LIKE HEY, THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS IS IT. THEN SEEING THE VEHICLE AND KNOWING YOU HAD THAT AWESOME TEAM PULLING US ALL TOGETHER TO HELP THAT'S PRETTY COOL. YOU KNOW, THE NIGHT BEFORE LAUNCH IT'S ANTICIPATION. IT'S OCCASION, I GOTTA GET SOME REST, I GOT A BUSY DAY TOMORROW. IT'S SPECIAL. AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE THINKING. THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION TO THE LAUNCH. AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, COMMANDER DICK SCOBEE SITTING ASIDE PILOT MIKE SMITH IN FRONT OF THE TRADITIONAL CAKE FEATURING HALI'S COMET AND AN APPLE FOR THE TEACHER. ON JANUARY 27, WE HAD ATTEMPTED A LAUNCH, AND THEN IT GOT SCRUBBED. I WENT OVER TO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE, FELLOW NAME OF KENNEDY, HE WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR SPACE SERVICES. HE DID THE ACTUALLY STACKING OF THE BOOSTERS AND THE TANK IN THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING. I WAS THERE ABOUT AN HOUR AND I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED FOR ME. THEY SAID WE JUST HEARD THAT SOME METEOROLOGIST IN ORLANDO WAS SAYING THAT THE STRONG WE SAW RIGHT BEHIND THEM IS A COLD FRONT HEADING TOWARDS FLORIDA. IT MAY BE AS COLD AS 18-DEGREES FAHRENHEIT BY TOMORROW, OPENING THE LAUNCH WINDOW. I SAID GOOD GRIEF, THE SEAL JOINTS WILL OPERATE IN THOSE KIND OF TEMPERATURES. HE SAYS YEAH, WE ARE TOO, AND THE ENGINEERS WANTED NEE CALL YOU AND SEE IF YOU CAN GET FROM NASA AN ACTUAL HOUR BY HOUR FORECAST TEMPERATURE AT THE LAUNCH SITE. I SAYS FINE, I WILL GET THAT FOR YOU. I WANT YOU TO GET ALL THE ENGINEERS TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION OF WHAT WE KNOW AND DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE TEMPERATURES ON THIS FIELD JOINT. WHAT IS THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE IT'S SAFE TO LAUNCH? I WANT THAT DONE, I WILL SET UP A MEETING WITH THE NASA MANAGEMENT HERE AT THE CAPE. I WILL HAVE THEM PLUG IN THEIR ENGINEERING PEOPLE AT THE MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE ON THIS THREEWAY TELECONFERENCE WITH OUR ENGINEERS BACK IN UTAH AND I'LL SET THAT UP FOR THIS EVENING. THE CONFERENCE CALL STARTED A LITTLE AFTER 8:00 P.M. THAT EVENING AND THE ENGINEERS DID EXACTLY WHAT I ASKED THEM TO DO AND WENT THROUGH THEIR CHARTS. BARNY THOMPSON, AND THEY PRESENTED ALL WHAT THEY KNEW AND DIDN'T KNOW AND WHEN THEY GOT ALL DONE, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING CAME ON. A FELLOW BY THE NAME OF MR. BOB LUNN THAT I HAD REQUESTED. HE SAID BASED ON WHAT HIS ENGINEERS HAD PRESENTED THAT HE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND LAUNCHING BELOW 53-DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THIS WAS FIRST TIME THAT MORTON FRACKLE, FIRST OF ALL, EVER MADE ANY RECOMMENDATION NOT TO LAUNCH. IN FACT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S THE FIRST TIME ANY CONTRACTOR IN THE WHOLE SHUTTLE PROGRAM MADE A RECOMMENDATION NOT TO LAUNCH. I WAS SHOCKED AT THE RESPONSE FROM NASA. WHAT SURPRISED ME IS THEY STARTED QUESTIONING THE BASIS FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION AND SAID THEY DIDN'T FEEL THAT WE HAD SUBSTANTIATED THE NEED TO THE SHUT TOOL THAT TEMPERATURE LIMIT. FURTHER MORE, AS FAR AS THEY'RE CONCERNED THEY DON'T THINK TEMPERATURE HAS NECESSARILY ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. THAT'S WHEN ROGER GOT VERY VOCAL AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE IT'S THE INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT MR. LARRY MALLOY, THE HEAD OF THE ROCKET BOOSTERS SAID WHEN DO YOU WANT ME TO LAUNCH, NEXT APRIL? WHEN HE SAID THAT I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY INTIMIDATING TO ME AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT IT WAS CLEAR THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT WHAT WE HAD JUST SAID. HE SAYS THE EVE OF A LAUNCH IS A HELLUVA TIME TO BE CHANGING THE LAUNCH COMMIT CRITERIA. SO THEN HE ASKED HIS ENGINEERING GUY, GEORGE HARDY AT MARSHALL, WHAT HIS POSITION WAS. HE BASICALLY SAID THAT HE WAS APPALLED AT THE RECOMMENDATION WE MADE BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAD, BUT HE WOULDN'T GO AGAINST THE CONTRACTOR'S RECOMMENDATION. AFTER HE HAD MADE THAT COMMENT, MR. LARRY MALLOY THEN ASKED MY BOSS, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BASE PROGRAMS HE SAID JOE, WHAT'S YOUR POSITION? HIS POSITION WAS THAT, UH, I CAN'T GO AGAINST OUR ENGINEERING'S RECOMMENDATION BUT THAT HE THINKS THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME TIME TO GO OFF THE NET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD PRESENTED EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NO FURTHER INFORMATION TO MAKE A JUDGMENT ON. BECAUSE THERE WAS AN IMPLICATION THAT MAYBE WE HADN'T ENTERED EVERYTHING. FRANKLY, WHEN THAT HAPPENED I THOUGHT SURE, YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO TRY TO ANALYZE WHAT IS THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE WE CAN. MAYBE IT'S NOT 53, BUT IT'S CLEARLY PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE 20. WHAT I FOUND OUT LATER WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN THE CONFERENCE CALL, ENGINEERS GOT PUT INTO A POSITION TO PROVE THAT IT WOULD FAIL AT THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURES. THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT QUESTION THAN PROVE THAT IT'S SAFE. THEY COULD NOT PROVE THAT IT WOULD FAIL. THAT'S THE FIRST PROBLEM. BUT THE MAJOR PROBLEM WAS THAT THE GENERAL MANAGER OF MARTIN JERRY MASON WHO I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WAS IN THIS MEETING AT ALL CAUGHT UP AND SAID HE THOUGHT NASA HAD SOME GOOD POINTS. AND THAT HE SAID I M I THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO THINKS IT'S OKAY TO GO AHEAD WITH THE LAUNCH AS PLANNED? WELL, THAT WAS AN INTIMIDATING STATEMENT FOR HIM TO MAKE BECAUSE EVERYBODY BECAME SILENT WHEN HE MADE THAT STATEMENT. IF THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T WERE THE ONES WHO WERE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE FIRST PLACE, ROGER BOJELAI AND ARTY THOMPSON. ARTY THOMPSON WENT BACK THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND SAID HEY, HERE'S WHY WE SHOULDN'T CHANGE OUR RECOMMENDATION. THE TWO PHOTOS, GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF THIS ONE, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CLIFF IS, BUT THERE'S ONE OUT THERE SOME PLACE. THEY SAID THAT'S NO NEW INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, GO SIT DOWN. AT THE CAPE, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS HAPPENING BUT WHEN THEY DID FINALLY COME BACK ON WAS MY BOSS KILMINSTER SAID THEY REASSESSED ALL THE DATA AND THEY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT IT'S OKAY TO PROCEED ON WITH THE LAUNCH AS PLANNED. NO SPECIFIC TEMPERATURE. I WAS KIND OF TAKEN ABACK BY THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR HIM SAY ANY NEW INFORMATION THAT WOULD CHANGE THEIR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION, BUT THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. AND THEN GEORGE HARDY AT HUNTSVILLE SAID WE NEED TO HAVE THAT RECOMMENDATION PUT IN WRITING AND SIGNED BY A RESPONSIBLE FIRE KAHLO FILINGS. FIRE CALLOFFICIAL. I KNEW WHO THAT FIRE CALLOFFICIAL WAS. THAT'S ME. THAT WAS MY JOB AT THE CAPE. I DID THE SMARTEST THING I EVER DID IN MY LIFETIME. I REFUSE TO SIGN THE RECOMMENDATION. I JUST DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT. BECAUSE OF THAT MY BOSS HAD TO SIGN IT AND FAX IT DOWN TO ME. WELL, I MADE A COUPLE OF VERY STATEMENTS THAT NIGHT WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THAT FAX TO COME THAT WAS SIGNED TO MY BOSS AUTHORIZING TO PROCEED WITH THE LAUNCH. I WAS VERY UPSET. AND I TOLD NASA THAT I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION, I REALLY DON'T CARE IF IT'S THE CEO, BUT YOU CAN'T ACCEPT IT. YOU CAN'T ACCEPT IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW AND I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING US TO FLY THOSE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER OUTSIDE OF WHAT THEY WERE QUALIFIED TO FLY IN. THAT'S A VIOLATION OF PROTOCOL. YOU CAN'T DO THAT. I SURE HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS TOMORROW, BUT IF IT DOES I'M NOT GOING TO BE THE PERSON STANDING BEFORE A BOARD OF INQUIRY AND TELL THEM THAT I GAVE YOU MY APPROVAL OF THE LAUNCH, MY ROCKET BOOSTERS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THEY WERE NEVER QUALIFIED TO FLY IN. AND THAT ENDED THE CONVERSATION. CHALLENGER, GO WITH THROTTLE UP. ROGER, GO WITH THROTTLE UP. (STATIC) I THINK WHAT MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WAS THAT HOW BIG A PLATE NASA HAD AT THE TIME. LOOKING AT A MORE MACRO SCALE, THEY HAD SUFFERED THE PRIOR LAUNCH HAD MORE DELAYS THAN ANY LAUNCH PRIOR IN HISTORY, THE ONE THAT CONGRESSMAN BILL NELSON WAS ON. IT HAD BEEN DELAYED SOMETHING LIKE SEVEN TIMES. THEY GOT CHASTIZED BY THE PREZ BECAUSE THE PRIOR LAUNCH WAS DELAYED SO MANY TIMES THE ORLANDO SENTINEL HAD AN ARTICLE NASA CLAIMS THEY'RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING TWO OF THESE A MONTH AND THEY COULDN'T EVEN LAUNCH ONE IN A MONTH THAT WAS ALREADY READY TO GO, DECLARED GOOD TO GO. WHICH WAS TRUE. SO THEY HAD TO PROVE THAT THEY WERE CAPABLE OF DOING THAT. IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT A TEACHER IS AT A LOSS FOR WORDS. I KNOW MY STUDENTS WOULDN'T THINK SO. I THINK OF NASA'S ASSOCIATION WITH THE TEACHER IN SPACE ON THIS LAUNCH AND THE FROM THE PR GIVEN TO THAT ASTRONAUT KRISTIN MCCULLOUGH, IT PLAY AD ROLE FROM TWO POINT. ONE IS THAT IT WAS THE FIRST ORDINARY HER LESSON WAS TO PROVIDE A LESSON TO THESE KIDS ON THE FOURTH DAY OF THE MISSION. TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY. FRIDAY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE DAY THAT SHE WOULD BE GIVING THIS LESSON PLAN TO ALL THESE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS. IF IT GOT DELAYED ONE MORE DAY, THAT WOULD HAVE PUSH TD TO SATURDAY. HOW MANY KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL ON SATURDAY? THERE THEY ARE. THE CREW,. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN HE CALLED TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO FLY AND I SAID LAST NIGHT YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T BE FLYING BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER AND SO FORTH AND HE SAID WELL, THEY'VE DECIDED WE WILL. I SAID WELL I TOLD ALL OUR GUESTS TO GO ON HOME, THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE FLYING. HE SAID YES, AND I LOVE YOU. THIS IS SHUTTLE LAUNCH CONTROL AT T-MINUS 2 MINUTES - - I MEAN, TWO HOURS, 28 MINUTES COUNTING CH LEERN COMES THE FLIGHT CREW, BOARDING THE ELEVATOR. ALL OF THE CHALLENGER SEVEN FAMILIES WERE TOGETHER AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. WE WERE ON THE TOP OF A BUILDING, AN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. THE COUNTDOWN WAS TENSE, AS IT SHOULD BE, AND I WAS STANDING NEXT TO STEVE MCAULIFFE EXPLAINING TO HIM BECAUSE HE HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ABOUT LAUNCH AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH A LAUNCH. WE HAVE MAIN ENGINE START, 4, 3, 2, 1, AND LIFT OFF. LIFT OFF OF THE 25TH SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION, AND IT HAS CLEARED THE TOWER. ROGER, CHALLENGER. WE WATCHED IT AND CHEERED. IT WAS LIKE WE WERE ALL ON TOP OF THE WORLD AFTER IT LAUNCHED. JUST SO BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL COLD WINTER MORNING, UM, THE GROUND SHOOK, FIRE CRACKLED. YOU KNOW, IT WAS TREMENDOUS, AND WE WERE JUST ALL SHOUTING, THE TOP OF THE WORLD. CAN YOU IMAGINE? UM, GREATEST JOY FOR THAT. ENGINE THROTTLING UP, 304%. CHALLENGER, GO WITH THROTTLE UP. ROGER GOING TO THROTTLE UP. WE WERE BOTH ANGRY. WE WERE BOTH ANGRY TO KNOW THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. IT WAS A SAD DAY WHEN WE LEARNED IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. ENGINE THROTTLING UP, 304%. CHALLENGER, GO WITH THROTTLE UP. CHALLENGER GO WITH THROTTLE UP. I'M AN AT 15 SECOND, 9 NAUTICAL MILES, FLAG CONTROLLERS HERE LOOKING VERY CAREFULLY AT THE SITUATION. OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR MALFUNCTION. THEN SOME OF THOSE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS START VEERING OFF IN THEIR OWN DIRECTION, KIND OF SPIRALING OUT OF A TRAJECTORY THAT WAS SO UNCOMMON. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. AND, UM, THAT'S WHEN ONE OF THE FELLOW ASTRONAUTS SAID WE SHOULD ALL GO DOWNSTAIRS. WE HAVE NO [INAUDIBLE] EXPLODED. COPY. CAN WE GET ANY REPORT FROM RECOVERY? STAND BY. THE BOARD FROM THE FLIGHT DYNAMICS OFFICER AT THE CAPE AND THE VEHICLE APPARENTLY EXPLODED AND THAT IMPACT IN THE WATER. APPROXIMATELY 28.64-DEGREES NORTH, 80.28-DEGREES WEST. WE ARE WAITING VERIFICATION FROM AS TO THE LOCATION OF THE RECOVERY FORCES IN THE FIELD TO SEE WHAT MAY BE POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT. YES, SIR, D.O.D. REPORTS ALL COURSES HAVE BEEN SCRAMBLED AND THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY. OKAY, ALL OPERATORS WATCH YOUR DATA CAREFULLY. OKAY, EVERYBODY, STAY OFF THE TELEPHONES, MAKE SURE YOU MAINTAIN ALL YOUR DATA, START PULLING IT TOGETHER. WHEN, UM, THEY TRANSPORTED US FROM THIS ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING OVER TO THE CREW QUARTERS WHERE WE HAD VISITED SO MANY TIMES I SAW THE STREET WITH PEOPLE ALL WEEPING. THEY WERE AT THEIR STEERING WHEELS WEEPING OUT WITH THEIR HEAD ON THE FENDER, PEOPLE ON THE STREET, JUST CARS STOPPED. ON THE STREET. AND I KNEW IT WAS REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS. IT HAD GONE FROM THIS MOST EXCITING MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE TO THIS TERROR AND NUMBNESS. IT'S, UM, SHOCK. IT IS TOTALLY SHOCK. LATE THIS AFTERNOON THE SPACE AGENCY OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED WHAT HAD BEEN FRIGHTENINGLY APPARENT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT NO ONE HAD SURVIVED. GOOD EVENING, SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST NO, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. WHEN THEY CAME AND TOLD US CHRIS, WE STOPPED THE CREW'S OKAY. YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THAT WE ACTUALLY LOST THE VEHICLE AND THE CREW. WHEN THE SHUTTLE WAS FIRST LAUNCHED, I HAD BREATHED A GREAT SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN I SAW IT CLEAR THE TOWER. I WAS ABSOLUTELY TUNE STUNNED LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS WHEN I SAW THIS WHOLE THING EXPLODE IN 73 SECONDS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY THING I COULD STILL SEE FLYING WERE THE TWO SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS. EVERYTHING H ELSE HAD TOTALLY DISAPPEARED IN THIS BIG, EXPLOSIVE CLOUD AND I COULD HEAR PEOPLE BEHIND ME ACTUALLY SOBBING. I KEPT LOOKING AT THE SCREEN AND HAD MY HEAD - - ON. ALL I COULD HEAR WAS RLRLS, RETURN TO LAUNCH SITE, TO THE ORBITER. THE HEAD OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM SAID THEY'RE FREEZING ON THE SCREEN AND FOR NOBODY TO WRITE DOWN WHAT'S RORN THAT SCREEN, WHATEVER DATA, WHATEVER'S THERE, THE DOORS WERE IMMEDIATELY LOCKED, THE PHONES WERE ALL DISCONNECTED, SO NOBODY COULD MAKE, UH, ANY TELEPHONE CALLS AND THAT ALL OF THE DATA WAS GOING TO BE BASICALLY TREATED AS SECRET AND THAT NOBODY WAS ALLOWED TO LEAVE TO EVEN GO TO THE BATHROOM. MY FEELING AT THAT TIME WAS THAT THE ONLY THING THAT DIDN'T CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I WENT TO MARSHALL THE NEXT DAY THAT I FOUND OUT DIFFERENTLY. A LARGE-SCALE SEARCH EFFORT WAS INITIATEED TO RECOVER THE SPACE SHUTTLE DEBRIS. 22 SHIPS, SIX UNDER WATER SEARCH VESSELS, AND 33 AIR CRAFT PARTICIPATED IN THE OPERATION. THE PIECES RECOVERED INITIALLY WERE THOSE FOUND FLOATING ON THE SURFACE. THE SUB MARINE FLEET WAS USED TO LOCATE AND INSPECT UNDER WATER DEBRIS. OBJECTS IDENTIFIED AS BEING IMPORTANT TO THE INVESTIGATION WERE RETRIEVED. 50 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS RECOVERED. I WAS CALLED TO THE BRIDGE AND BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE BRIDGE I COULD SEE THE CHEM TRAILS IN THE LAUNCH AND THE EXPLOSION I KNEW IMMEDIATELY YEAH, IT WAS A DISASTER. I DIDN'T CONNECT IT TO THE CHALLENGER AT THE TIME BUT YEAH, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY. MY INSTINCT TOLD ME THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU SURVIVE FROM. NOT LONG AFTER THAT WE GOT A MESSAGE ORDERING US TO SEE AND GO OUT AND COMMENCE RECOVERY OPERATIONS. 5, 10-MILES OFF THE COAST WAS WHERE THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS, JUST STARTED SEARCHING THE OCEAN FOR DEBRIS. I VIVIDLY REMEMBER ONE OF THE LOOK OUT ALERTED TO SOMETHING ON THE HORIZON THAT WAS IN THE WATER AND I NOTICED A LITTLE BOBBING OBJECT IN THE DISTANCE. WE ALTERED COURSE AND WENT OVER TO DISCOVER THE PURSE NEL EFFECTS CASE, PERSONAL EFFECTS CASE AND IN IT WERE KRISTA MC MCAULLIFF'S CAMERA AND A SUPPLY OF SPARE FILM. WORDS PALE IN THE SHADOW OF GRIEF. THEY SEEM INSUFFICIENT EVEN TO MEASURE THOSE YOU SACRIFICED AND ADMIRED. WE CAN FIND CONSOLATION ONLY IN FAITH. BUT WE KNOW IN OUR HEARTS THAT YOU WHO FLEW SO HIGH AND SO PROUD NOW MAKE YOUR HOME BEYOND THE STARS, FAITH AND GOD'S PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE. EVERY FAMILY MEMBER I TALKED TO ASKED SPECIFICALLY THAT WE CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, THAT THAT IS WHAT THEIR DEPARTED LOVED ONE WOULD WANT ABOVE ALL ELSE. WE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT THEM. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WENT TO MARSHALL, AND THEY HAD ALL OF THE DATA THERE AND I CHECKED IT ALL AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING NEW, IRONICALLY AS I WAS WALKING OUT THE DOOR, LARRY MULLOY TOLD ME TO GET THE HELL BACK IN THERE. I SAYS WHY, HE SAYS WE GAY - - . WE'VE GOT JIM KINGSBURY. I TURNED TO LARRY AND HE SAYS YOU TELL JIM KINGSBURY HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S LOOKING AT. SOLID ROCKETS DON'T GO FLYING AROUND WITH HOLES IN THE SIDE OF THEM. THEA BLOW UP. HE SAID YOU'D BETTER GET BACK IN HERE AND TALK TO US. SO I ASKED JIM I SAID ARE YOU SURE THIS IS COMING OUT OF THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER AND NOT THE TANK? HE SAID YEAH, ABSOLUTELY SURE, IT'S COMING OUT OF THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER. I SAID, UH, IS IT COMING OUT OF A JOINT? HE GOES WELL, IT'S DOWN ON THE BOTTOM END OF THIS RIGHT BOOSTER, HE SAID I CAN'T REALLY TELL EXACTLY BUT IT'S IN THE AREA OF WHERE THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER ATTACHES TO THE TANK. I SAID WELL, UH, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN - - LOOKED AT ANY OF THE FILM OF THE ACTUAL LAUNCH ON THE AS IT WAS LIFTING OFF? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW IT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAL THAT WAITED UNTIL 73 SECONDS TO CAUSE THIS FAILURE. I SAID GO GET THE CAMERA THAT'S CLOSEST TO THAT. AND HE DID. THAT'S WHEN HE TOLD ME HE SAW THIS PUFF OF SMOKE COMING OUT AND I I'LL BET IT'S ROUND 6/10 OF A SECOND. HE SAID YEAH, 0.638. AND THEN I REALIZED THAT THE INITIAL FAILURE WAS EXACTLY THE CONCERN THAT WE HAD THE NIGHT BEFORE, IT JUST MANIFESTED ITSELF IN A FINAL FAILURE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WE WOULD HAVE EVER ANTICIPATED. BECAUSE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WAS IS THAT IT LEAKED THE VERY REASON WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT AT 6/10 OF A SECOND, BUT AS THAT FLAME WENT AND BURNED THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEAL THAT ALLOWED THE GAS TO GET ALL THE WAY OUT, AND AS IT BURNED THE O-RING, HIT THIS COLD, SOLID METAL AND IT SOLIDIFIED RIGHT WHERE IT BURNED THE O-RING AND FORMED WHAT I CALL A CERAMIC SEAL. FILLED ITSELF UP. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THAT JOINT AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF SECONDS, AT ALL, UNTIL 73. AT 59 SECONDS, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL MAX Q ON THE VEHICLE, MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE, WHEN THE COMBINATION OF THE VELOCITY OF THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR DENSITY PUTS THE HIGHEST AERODYNAMIC LOADS ON THE SYSTEM, IT STARTS VIBRATING, WELL, IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT DAY WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE JET STREAM WAS RIGHT OVER THE CAPE. THAT JET STREAM KEPT TRYING TO PUSH THE VEHICLE SIDEWAYS AS IT WAS GOING UP INTO THE AIR AND BECAUSE IT WAS TRYING TO PUSH IT OFF ITS TRAJECTORY, THE NOZZLES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOOSTER TO GET IT BACK ON TRAJECTORY, AND IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT, IT FLEXES THE VEHICLE. THAT OCCURRED RIGHT NEAR MAX Q, BROKE LOOSE THIS FRAGILE CERAMIC SEAL THAT WAS FORMED BY THE ALUMINUM OXIDE SO IT STARTED FLOWING OUT OF THAT JOINT AGAIN AT ABOUT 59 OR 60 SECONDS AND 13 SECONDS LATER IT BURNED ENOUGH OF THE TANK OUT THAT IT CAUSED THAT TANK BASICALLY TO COLLAPSE AND IT COLLAPSED TOGETHER IN THAT BIG EXPLOSION. THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS THEN GOT EJECTED OFF AND THEY KEPT ON FLYING. THE VERY LAST THING THEY HEARD ON THE NET FROM THE ASTRONAUTS WAS FROM MICHAEL SMITH THE PILOT SAID UH-OH JUST BEFORE THE EXPLOSION. SO HE HAD OBVIOUSLY SEEN SOMETHING SCARY. THEY MADE IT CLEAR TO THE WORLD THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS HORRIBLE DISASTER, UH, THAT OCCURRED THE ASTRONAUTS BASICALLY WERE ALMOST KILLED INSTANTANEOUSLY FROM THE EX PLOAGDZ. THEY DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL SEVERAL WEEKS LATER WHEN THEY RECOVERED THE CREW CABIN TAT THAT WASN'T THE CASE. THE CREW CABIN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH SURPRISED EVERYBODY INTACT. WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT THIS CREW CABIN WHEN THEY WERE LAUNCHED WAS IN A PRESSURIZED CREW CABIN JUST LIKE YOU GET ON AN AIRLINER, BUT THEY HAVE EMERGENCY OXYGEN AVAILABLE TO THEM. THEY ALSO HAVE WHAT THEY CALL PEEPS IN THERE, PERSONAL EGRESS AIR PACKS FOR EACH ASTRO NAW. THEY'RE BASICALLY AIR THAT GIVES THEM TWO OR THREE MINUTES OF BREATHING TIME TO GET AWAY. WELL, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PILOT IN AND THE COMMANDER BOTH HAD THEIR PEEPS ON AND THEY CAN'T EVEN BE ACTIVATED UNLESS IT'S DONE BY A CREW MEMBER BEHIND THEM. THEY ALSO SAID THAT OTHERS WERE ALSO IN THEIR PEEPS. THEY DID NOT SAY EVERYONE WAS IN IT, BUT MY SUSPECT THEY PROBABLY ALL WERE, SO THEY PROBABLY ALL DIED AT WATER IMPACT ALMOST THREE MINUTES LATER, TWO AND A HALF MINUTES OR SO. THAT IS WHAT WAS REALLY HARD TO TAKE IS REALIZING THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T DIE UNTIL THEY HIT THE WATER. WHEN I COME HOME SAYS YOU I GOT A PHONE CALL HERE YOU HAVE TO LEAVE TONIGHT ON THE COMPANY JET AND GO TO AN EMERGENCY MEET OFFING THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION INVESTIGATING THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT IN WASHINGTON. I WAS QUESTIONED EARLIER ABOUT YOU PHRASED IT A CONCERN BY [INAUDIBLE] ON LOW TEMPERATURES. NASA MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HANDLE THE WHOLE MEETING, PRESENT ANYTHING. IF THEY NEEDED ANY HELP FROM ANYBODY THEY WOULD SPECIFICALLY REQUEST IT. I MIGHT MENTION ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNED WHICH HAS BEEN VOICED THIS AFTERNOON IS THE CONCERN ABOUT LOW TEMPERATURES ON JANUARY 28, THE DAY THE CHALLENGER WAS LAUNCHED. THERE WERE ICY CONDITIONS AT THE LAUNCH PAD, HOWEVER NASA IS INSISTING AS IT HAS INSISTED BEFORE THAT THE COLD TEMPERATURES IN NO WAY CREATE AD SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE SHUTTLE OR FOR ITS ASTRONAUTS ABOARD. WE CAME BACK DR. SALLY RIDE HAD A STACK OF THESE PINK TELEPHONE SLIPS IN HER HAND AND SHE SAYS BEFORE WE GET BACK TO THE PRESENTATION I GOT A CALL FROM ONE OF THESE WHO SAID THEY HEARD THERE WAS SOME RUMOR THAT ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS OF WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE PREDICTED COLD TEMPERATURES THEY RECOMMENDED NOT LAUNCHING. IS THAT REALLY TRUE? I REMEMBERED LARRY MULLOY'S COMMENT WAS WELL, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT COLD TEMPERATURES ON BATTERIES AND THIS AND THAT AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAD ALL OF OUR ENGINEER ON A TELECONFERENCE WITH ALL OF OUR ENGINEERS IN HUNTSVILLE AND THE FOLKS AT DOWN AT THE CAPE AND REVIEWED ALL THAT AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE WERE TOLD TO PROCEED ON THE LAUNCH AS PLANNED. THEY WENT BACK TO HIS CHARTS. AND THEY SET UP THEIR I THOUGHT WELL, I GUESS THAT'S TRUE, BUT THAT'S ABOUT AS DECEIVING AS ANYTHING I EVER HEARD. AND HE STARTED MORE CHARGE AND THEY FINALLY COULDN'T HOLD IT ANYMORE SO I DECIDED TO RAISE MY HAND. I'M SITTING UP THERE IN THE DARK, NOBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION, COULDN'T SEE SO I STARTED WALKING DOWN THE STEPS. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THEY'RE ASKING A QUESTION LARRY TURNED TO ME AND SAID HEY, AL HAS SOMETHING TO ADD HERE. I SAID I'D LIKE TO FORGET ABOUT WHAT'S PROJECTED ON THE WALL HERE AND GO BACK TO THIS THAT DR. RIDE HAD ASKED BOW THIS CONTRACTOR. I SAID, UH, I THINK THAT THIS COMMISSION SHOULD KNOW THAT - - SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE COLD TEMPERATURES THAT WE RECOMMENDED NOT LAUNCHING BELOW 53-DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND I'LL NEVER FORGET CHAIRMAN RODGERS STANDING UP AND LOOKING AT ME AND NEIL ARMSTRONG AND SAYING WHO IN THE HELL ARE YOU? HE SAID WOULD YOU PLEASE COME DOWN HERE IN FRONT OF THIS CONFERENCE ROOM AND REPEAT WHAT I THINK I HEARD? BECAUSE IF THIS - - INF I HEARD WHAT I THINK I HEARD, THIS WILL BE IN LITIGATION FOR YEARS TO COME. MY LIFE CHANGED WHEN HE SAID THAT. EXPERIENCE ALL THE ENGINEERS VOTED ONE WAY AND MANAGEMENT VOTED THE OTHER? THAT WASN'T THE CASE HERE. WHAT WAS THE CASE HERE? MY QUESTION IS DID ANY OF THE ENGINEERS CHANGE THEIR MINDS, AND IF SO, WHICH ONES? NO, I WOULD SAY THEN THAT I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LIST HERE. YOU REMEMBER ANY OTHER OCCASION WHEN THE CONTRACTOR RECOMMENDED AGAINST LAUNCH AND THAT YOU PERSUADED THEM THEY WERE WRONG AND HAD THEM CHANGE THEIR MIND? UH, NO, SIR. YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT I DID SAY AT ONE POINT THAT WE THOUGHT THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS MAY BE FLAWED. I BELIEVE I AM SPEAKING FOR THE WHOLE COMMISSION WHEN I SAY THAT WE THINK IT IS FLAWED. THIS TRAGIC ACCIDENT WAS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THAT JOINT ON THE RIGHT AFT BOOSTER ROCKET. TAKEN SO MUCH EVIDENCE SHOWING THAT PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF THE O-RING AND ELSEWHERE, LITERALLY ONE DOCUMENT CRY OUT FOR HELP, TESTIMONY ABOUT PRE-LAUNCH ACTIVITIES IN THE TELECONFERENCES, RECOMMENDED AGAINST LAUNCHING. WHEN YOU SIFT THROUGH EVERYTHING, HOW DID IT COME ABOUT THAT THE PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE DECIDED TO LAUNCH ANYWAY? WELL, I REALLY ATTEMPTED TO SET THAT FORTH IN OUR REPORT. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY EASY ANSWER TO IT. NO ONE WILL DISAGREE WITH THAT IF YOU SAY - - [INAUDIBLE] FLUGHTS. IT WAS A FAILURE AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND READ THE REPORT AND DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. NOBODY DURING CHALLENGER OR COLUMBIA MADE DECISIONS THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD CAUSE HARM TO THE CREW OR THE VEHICLE. THE DECISIONS TAT THOSE PEOPLE, THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE MAKING A GOOD DECISION. (SOLEMN PIANO MUSIC) WHEN I WENT HOME, I GOT CALLED IN BY THE GENERAL MANAGER THE NEXT MONDAY. HE SAYS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING YOU'RE NO LONGER THE HEAD OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE YOU'RE NOW AHEAD OF SCHEDULING. ID SCHEDULING? SCHEDULING DOESN'T BUILD ANYTHING. HE SAYS THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM. ONCE I GOT REMOVED FROM MY JOB I WAS TOLD I COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE FAILURE TEAM ANYMORE, I COULDN'T HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH NASA ANYMORE, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT TWO MONTHS LATER IN MAY OF 1986, I WAS CALLED BACK TO WASHINGTON D.C., GENERAL KATINA HEAD OF THE AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND IN LOS ANGELES. HE ALSO WAS A MEMBER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION OF THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT. HE SAID YOU OUGHT TO BE SPENDING ALL OF YOUR TIME FIGURING OUT WHY THE SHUTTLE FAILED THE WAY IT DID. ID I'M NOT DOING THAT. WHY NOT EE YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE FAILURE TEAM, AREN'T YOU? I SAID I WAS, BUT I GOT REMOVED. HE SAYS YOU GOT REMOVED, WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? I SAID I THINK IT WAS EXACTLY ONE DAY AFTER I TESTIFIED BEFORE YOU PEOPLE. HE SAID YOU'RE KIDDING ME. I SAYS NO, I'M NOT. HE SAID WE'LL FIX THAT PROBLEM. HE IMMEDIATELY WEPT OUT IN THE HALL AND CALLED CHAIRMAN RODGERS AND TOLD HIM WHAT HE HAD JUST HEARD. CHAIRMAN RODGERS CALLED ALL OF THE SENIOR EXECUTIVES IN MY COMPANY BACK TO A MEETING A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER IN WASHINGTON AND WIRE BRUSHED THE HELL OUT OF THEM. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY I GOT CALLED IN BY OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGER AND HE SAID AL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NASA ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET THIS SHUTTLE BACK TO SAFE FLIGHT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WE DECIDED TO DO THAT BY HAVING A SUPER TASK FORCE AND HE SAID YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU THAT JOB. WOULD YOU TAKE IT? I SAYS YEAH, I WOULD TAKE THAT JOB BECAUSE I THINK I COULD HELP. 3, 2, 1, 0, AND LIFT OFF. LIFT OFF AMERICA'S RETURN TO SPACE AS DISCOVERY CLEARS THE TOWER. WHEN I WAS AT THE FIRST LAUNCH AFTER CHALLENGER WHICH WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 88, DISCOVERY. FIRST OF ALL I BREATHED A HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN WE CLEARED THE TOWER AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABNORMAL. BUT I REALLY GOT NERVOUS WHEN THEY GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY TOLD THEM THEY WERE GOING TO THROTTLE DOWN THE ENGINES WHICH THEY DID AND THEY SAID GO FOR THROTTLE UP. I HEARD THE COMMANDER RESPOND BACK JUST LIKE SCOBEE DID, BY JOVE, BECAUSE I QUICKLY HAD A FLASH BACK OF WHAT HAPPENED TO CHALLENGER WITHIN A SECOND OF THAT TIME. WE'VE HAD ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, UH, SPACE PROGRAMS IN THE HISTORY OF MAN KIND AND IT'S TRAGIC THAT WE LOST SEVEN SOULS. BUT, UM, I'M CLEAR THAT THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE IS ON THEIR SHOULDERS AND I THINK WILL CONTINUE. I'VE LOST FRIENDS, VERY GOOD FRIENDS IN ROCKETS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I DON'T THINK THAT'S A REASON TO STOP PUSHING THE LIMITS, PUSHING PUSHING THE THRESHOLDS. I THINK THE, UH, THE BIGGEST LESSON THAT WE LEARNED FROM CHALLENGER, A COUPLE OF THEM, SPACE EXPLORATION IS CHALLENGING. IT'S HARD. I THINK THE IMPORTANT LESSON IS, YOU KNOW, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYBODY IS HEARD, WHERE YOU CAN VOICE YOUR CONCERNS WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION. WELL, WHEN I, UH, DEFINE ACCIDENT I PUT ALL THOSE TERMS THAT DESCRIBE ACCIDENTS NOT FORESEEN, ANTICIPATED, MOST ACCIDENTS YOU DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION TO PREVENT IT. IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A DECISION TO PREVENT IT. THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT WAS AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT WAS ONE FOR WHICH THERE WERE SOME POINTERS. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARENESS. CHALLENGER WAS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WHEN & WE WERE BOTH ANGRY. WE WERE BOTH ANGRY TO KNOW THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AND YET HUMAN FAILURE WE UNDERSTAND. AND THEY'VE LONG BEEN FORGIVEN FOR THOSE FRAILTIES. REAL-TIME CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY U.S. CAPTIONING COMPANY.
