To Thyne Own Self Be True
March 8, 2021 12:47 PM Subscribe
Allan McDonald, who refused to approve the Challenger launch has died. He was 83.
"What we should remember about Al McDonald [is] he would often stress his laws of the seven R's," Maier says. "It was always, always do the right thing for the right reason at the right time with the right people. [And] you will have no regrets for the rest of your life."
"What we should remember about Al McDonald [is] he would often stress his laws of the seven R's," Maier says. "It was always, always do the right thing for the right reason at the right time with the right people. [And] you will have no regrets for the rest of your life."
I'm the most sorry that he had to see that happen a second time.
posted by CynicalKnight at 12:54 PM on March 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by CynicalKnight at 12:54 PM on March 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
o
posted by matt_od at 12:57 PM on March 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by matt_od at 12:57 PM on March 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
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May we all share his courage, if we ever need it.
posted by Alterscape at 1:01 PM on March 8, 2021 [22 favorites]
May we all share his courage, if we ever need it.
posted by Alterscape at 1:01 PM on March 8, 2021 [22 favorites]
Caught the story about him on NPR this morning. An admirable person, for sure.
posted by obfuscation at 1:03 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by obfuscation at 1:03 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
"Always do the right thing for the right reason at the right time with the right people, and you will have no regrets for the rest of your life."
I feel like I am going insane, please someone tell me where the seventh R is.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 1:05 PM on March 8, 2021 [7 favorites]
I feel like I am going insane, please someone tell me where the seventh R is.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 1:05 PM on March 8, 2021 [7 favorites]
always do the Right thing for the Right Reason at the Right time with the Right people, and you will have no Regrets for the Rest of your life
posted by isauteikisa at 1:07 PM on March 8, 2021 [18 favorites]
posted by isauteikisa at 1:07 PM on March 8, 2021 [18 favorites]
The seventh R is the word "rest"
posted by AugustWest at 1:09 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by AugustWest at 1:09 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by jim in austin at 1:19 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by jim in austin at 1:19 PM on March 8, 2021
I studied Mr. McDonald's work in my first Engineering Ethics class. I believe that his example of bravery made me a better engineer. Never, ever sacrifice your fellow folks on the altar of business.
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posted by introp at 1:35 PM on March 8, 2021 [28 favorites]
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posted by introp at 1:35 PM on March 8, 2021 [28 favorites]
Wow. Learning about this man had a tremendous impact on me in a formative time in my life. A true hero and role model.
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posted by lock robster at 1:58 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by lock robster at 1:58 PM on March 8, 2021
I don't believe in heroes much, but this guy definitely ranks as one for me.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:05 PM on March 8, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:05 PM on March 8, 2021 [7 favorites]
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posted by benzenedream at 2:17 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by benzenedream at 2:17 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by Quasirandom at 2:25 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by Quasirandom at 2:25 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 2:28 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by JoeXIII007 at 2:28 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by lazaruslong at 2:30 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by lazaruslong at 2:30 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by brambleboy at 2:52 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by brambleboy at 2:52 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 3:36 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 3:36 PM on March 8, 2021
I'm confused about the timing. To start with, there's the story about (by?) Richard Feynmann at a hearing into the explosion dunking an o-ring into a pitcher of iced water to show how the rubber hardens. He did that on TV when the report was released, but who made the initial discovery?
According to a Wikipedia article, it was Feynmann's own investigations, prompted by a hint from other members of the commission (General Kyutna, who in turn was prompted by astronaut Sally Ride) that led to the revelation that the failure was caused by freezing temperatures. But the obituary says it was McDonald publicly speaking up at a hearing that drew attention to it at the hearing, twelve days after the explosion. And the obituary links to this NPR report that says the cause still wasn't public knowledge, and reporters were chasing it down three weeks later. So were the investigators already aware of the cause of failure, or did McDonald inform them? And if so many separate people knew, how come reporters were still chasing it down a week later? And how was Feynmann's demonstration the least bit significant or controversial?
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:44 PM on March 8, 2021
According to a Wikipedia article, it was Feynmann's own investigations, prompted by a hint from other members of the commission (General Kyutna, who in turn was prompted by astronaut Sally Ride) that led to the revelation that the failure was caused by freezing temperatures. But the obituary says it was McDonald publicly speaking up at a hearing that drew attention to it at the hearing, twelve days after the explosion. And the obituary links to this NPR report that says the cause still wasn't public knowledge, and reporters were chasing it down three weeks later. So were the investigators already aware of the cause of failure, or did McDonald inform them? And if so many separate people knew, how come reporters were still chasing it down a week later? And how was Feynmann's demonstration the least bit significant or controversial?
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:44 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:06 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:06 PM on March 8, 2021
>He did that on TV when the report was released
Feynman did that in February '86, after quizzing SRB Program Manager Mulloy on whether they knew there was a critical temperature with the o-rings, and getting an answer that they made the determination it wasn't too cold for them for the launch.
Thing is, ice-water has a temperature of 32℉, while air temperatures that morning were ~29 °F (Feynman mentions this relevancy in one of his auto-biographical books).
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 5:11 PM on March 8, 2021
Feynman did that in February '86, after quizzing SRB Program Manager Mulloy on whether they knew there was a critical temperature with the o-rings, and getting an answer that they made the determination it wasn't too cold for them for the launch.
Thing is, ice-water has a temperature of 32℉, while air temperatures that morning were ~29 °F (Feynman mentions this relevancy in one of his auto-biographical books).
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 5:11 PM on March 8, 2021
My impression was that what Feynman "discovered" wasn't so much the failed O-rings, but that he was high enough profile that when he spoke out about the management issues, people were willing to listen. Despite the fact that his dissent with the main bits of the Rogers report got stuffed into an appendix.
The rank and file knew what was up, but it took Feynman being the face that could cut through the layers of administration attempting to cover their own asses. And then coming up with the ice water demonstration to make people pay attention to that appendix.
posted by straw at 5:30 PM on March 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
The rank and file knew what was up, but it took Feynman being the face that could cut through the layers of administration attempting to cover their own asses. And then coming up with the ice water demonstration to make people pay attention to that appendix.
posted by straw at 5:30 PM on March 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
NYT from 5/86:
Since his testimony, Mr. McDonald has apparently communicated regularly with commission members, about test results and other matters. This apparently angered Mr. Mulloy, who until Friday headed the solid-rocket project at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. He is moving to another post at Marshall, NASA said on Friday.
Mr. McDonald, recounting the confrontation, said, ''Mr. Mulloy came into my office and slammed the door and, as far as I was concerned, was very intimidating to me.''
''He was obviously very disturbed and wanted to know what my motivation was, and I won't use his exact words, for doing what I was doing,'' Mr. McDonald testified.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 5:35 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Since his testimony, Mr. McDonald has apparently communicated regularly with commission members, about test results and other matters. This apparently angered Mr. Mulloy, who until Friday headed the solid-rocket project at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. He is moving to another post at Marshall, NASA said on Friday.
Mr. McDonald, recounting the confrontation, said, ''Mr. Mulloy came into my office and slammed the door and, as far as I was concerned, was very intimidating to me.''
''He was obviously very disturbed and wanted to know what my motivation was, and I won't use his exact words, for doing what I was doing,'' Mr. McDonald testified.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 5:35 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by GoblinHoney at 5:40 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by GoblinHoney at 5:40 PM on March 8, 2021
From the AP 4/12/1986: In remarks proposed by NASA on Jan. 8 for Reagan’s speech, the space agency suggested that Reagan say:
″Tonight, while I’m speaking to you, a young elementary school teacher from Concord, N.H., is taking us all on the ultimate field trip as she orbits the Earth as the first citizen-passenger on the space shuttle. "
NASA budgeting was driven by politics. There was a lot of pressure from NASA directors to put on a good show and on time for the president's State of the Union address the same day. McDonald was unable to prevail over politics.
posted by JackFlash at 5:53 PM on March 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
″Tonight, while I’m speaking to you, a young elementary school teacher from Concord, N.H., is taking us all on the ultimate field trip as she orbits the Earth as the first citizen-passenger on the space shuttle. "
NASA budgeting was driven by politics. There was a lot of pressure from NASA directors to put on a good show and on time for the president's State of the Union address the same day. McDonald was unable to prevail over politics.
posted by JackFlash at 5:53 PM on March 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
>And then coming up with the ice water demonstration to make people pay attention to that appendix
actually Feynman thought he was writing a proper chapter of the report, but at the last minute Rogers nixed it.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 5:58 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
actually Feynman thought he was writing a proper chapter of the report, but at the last minute Rogers nixed it.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 5:58 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
I analyzed the analog photos of Challenger's boost phase and we knew that there were exhaust leaks around the SRB sections. At the time I did not understand what those puffs of black smoke meant. It was not until I saw Feynman's testimony that I understood. Huge kudos to Allan McDonald for surfacing the problems and trying to stop the launch.
I remember being quite ashamed that I had missed such obvious visual indicators of problems and I re-wrote one of the SLS launch state machine to find and flag "bad" launch states. After the damage was done, natch.
In later years I remember seeing Thiokol adds in Janes and wondering what kind of idiot would allow THAT company to compete for contracts. Well, here we are.
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posted by pdoege at 6:07 PM on March 8, 2021 [34 favorites]
I remember being quite ashamed that I had missed such obvious visual indicators of problems and I re-wrote one of the SLS launch state machine to find and flag "bad" launch states. After the damage was done, natch.
In later years I remember seeing Thiokol adds in Janes and wondering what kind of idiot would allow THAT company to compete for contracts. Well, here we are.
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posted by pdoege at 6:07 PM on March 8, 2021 [34 favorites]
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posted by limeonaire at 6:22 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by limeonaire at 6:22 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:40 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:40 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by Bob Regular at 7:11 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by Bob Regular at 7:11 PM on March 8, 2021
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posted by rhamphorhynchus at 7:16 PM on March 8, 2021
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 7:16 PM on March 8, 2021
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Feynman always like to tell stories where he was the centre of attention; so much so that Gell-Mann stopped working with him. If McDonald had signoff for Morton Thiokol, then the input of his team at the inquiry carried more weight than Feynman's party trick ever did.
posted by scruss at 7:47 PM on March 8, 2021 [3 favorites]
Feynman always like to tell stories where he was the centre of attention; so much so that Gell-Mann stopped working with him. If McDonald had signoff for Morton Thiokol, then the input of his team at the inquiry carried more weight than Feynman's party trick ever did.
posted by scruss at 7:47 PM on March 8, 2021 [3 favorites]
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May more people in STEM disciplines and their leadership take the time to consider the ethics of their decisions, in spite of the tremendous pressure to do otherwise in the face of lost profits.
posted by Aleyn at 9:11 PM on March 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
May more people in STEM disciplines and their leadership take the time to consider the ethics of their decisions, in spite of the tremendous pressure to do otherwise in the face of lost profits.
posted by Aleyn at 9:11 PM on March 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
I watched the Challenger explosion live on a tiny television in our all-white private school's libary. It was one of those metal cart numbers that anyone in the United States that wasn't home-schooled can picture in their minds eye. There were about fifty of us, although to my young mind the entire school was there.
Before the launch, our principal introduced one of the high school teachers to us elementary students. It turns out she was a finalist (or semi-finalist) in the competition that Christa McAuliffe won, and I remember her talking about how exciting it was, and how valuable science is, and how anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it.
Then the Challenger exploded. I don't remember much else about that day other than shock and tears. And I can't remember the teacher's face, but I can remember her sobbing thirty-odd years later.
Rest in power, Mr. McDonald. If only we all had the ethical courage you had.
posted by gwydapllew at 7:19 AM on March 9, 2021 [17 favorites]
Before the launch, our principal introduced one of the high school teachers to us elementary students. It turns out she was a finalist (or semi-finalist) in the competition that Christa McAuliffe won, and I remember her talking about how exciting it was, and how valuable science is, and how anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it.
Then the Challenger exploded. I don't remember much else about that day other than shock and tears. And I can't remember the teacher's face, but I can remember her sobbing thirty-odd years later.
Rest in power, Mr. McDonald. If only we all had the ethical courage you had.
posted by gwydapllew at 7:19 AM on March 9, 2021 [17 favorites]
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posted by LobsterMitten at 1:21 PM on March 9, 2021
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:21 PM on March 9, 2021
I posted this because Allan McDonald was one of my heroes or better put guiding lights. I am old enough to remember the Apollo program and when we first landed and walked on the moon. I was 100% mesmerized and transfixed. Ever since that day when we took that "giant leap for mankind", I wanted to be an Astronaut. As things happen, you grow up and things take a different path. (I wanted to be a fireman too and can proudly say that I was a volunteer fireman for a while.)
Anyway, life takes a hold of you and sometimes you get swept along. I got married, had 3 terrific children and never became an Astronaut. More of an Astronaught I guess. But I closely followed the space program from Skylab to the Shuttle program to the ISS. I would often look up into the sky and wonder. I am now at an age where I have a bucket list. Silly as this may sound, I also wanted to be President of the United States. Still do, because I can do a better job than Trump and Biden, but can't we all? I digress. Whenever my children, friends, family, strangers, anyone really asks me what I still want to do, I tell them the simple truth.
Before I die, I want to go into outer space. I want to be floating around weightless. I really want to be able to go on one of those untethered space walks with the jet packs. Just float around looking down at the Earth and looking out into the cosmos. I imagine it would be both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I want to be sitting on top of the rocket in shear terror while they light that candle and off it goes. I want to have a deep trust that the people who built the rocket, who sewed the space suit, who built the compressor on my back, etc. took pride in their role and did it right and to the best of their abilities. I want to be able to tell my grandchildren and all children what an amazing experience it was and how they too should reach for the stars.
As time goes on, I realize it is likely not going to happen. My best chance is to make tons of money and buy a seat on a future mission. It is why I buy lottery tickets when the jackpot gets over $100 million.
But, as time went on I also realized that being the Astronaut was great, really fantastic, but when you see the Challenger blow up, when you know about the Gemini fire, you realize that there are so many people behind each mission that it is mindeboggling and that they are heroes or people to aspire to be too. When I first read about McDonald, I realized that it was people like him that made our dreams come true. People with a moral compass. People who knew their job and weren't afraid to do it. People who were not primarily motivated by money. It it the everyday working man/woman that make us all collectively great. The unsung hero.
McDonald was a so-called whistleblower. He was an exception. He should have been the norm. As I tell my children, I do not care what you do in life, but whatever it is, do it with integrity, honesty, passion, and most of all compassion.
RIP Allan McDonald.
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posted by AugustWest at 6:14 PM on March 9, 2021 [8 favorites]
Anyway, life takes a hold of you and sometimes you get swept along. I got married, had 3 terrific children and never became an Astronaut. More of an Astronaught I guess. But I closely followed the space program from Skylab to the Shuttle program to the ISS. I would often look up into the sky and wonder. I am now at an age where I have a bucket list. Silly as this may sound, I also wanted to be President of the United States. Still do, because I can do a better job than Trump and Biden, but can't we all? I digress. Whenever my children, friends, family, strangers, anyone really asks me what I still want to do, I tell them the simple truth.
Before I die, I want to go into outer space. I want to be floating around weightless. I really want to be able to go on one of those untethered space walks with the jet packs. Just float around looking down at the Earth and looking out into the cosmos. I imagine it would be both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I want to be sitting on top of the rocket in shear terror while they light that candle and off it goes. I want to have a deep trust that the people who built the rocket, who sewed the space suit, who built the compressor on my back, etc. took pride in their role and did it right and to the best of their abilities. I want to be able to tell my grandchildren and all children what an amazing experience it was and how they too should reach for the stars.
As time goes on, I realize it is likely not going to happen. My best chance is to make tons of money and buy a seat on a future mission. It is why I buy lottery tickets when the jackpot gets over $100 million.
But, as time went on I also realized that being the Astronaut was great, really fantastic, but when you see the Challenger blow up, when you know about the Gemini fire, you realize that there are so many people behind each mission that it is mindeboggling and that they are heroes or people to aspire to be too. When I first read about McDonald, I realized that it was people like him that made our dreams come true. People with a moral compass. People who knew their job and weren't afraid to do it. People who were not primarily motivated by money. It it the everyday working man/woman that make us all collectively great. The unsung hero.
McDonald was a so-called whistleblower. He was an exception. He should have been the norm. As I tell my children, I do not care what you do in life, but whatever it is, do it with integrity, honesty, passion, and most of all compassion.
RIP Allan McDonald.
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posted by AugustWest at 6:14 PM on March 9, 2021 [8 favorites]
when you know about the Gemini fire
Perhaps you meant the Apollo 1 fire?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:05 AM on March 10, 2021
Perhaps you meant the Apollo 1 fire?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:05 AM on March 10, 2021
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Hero.
posted by gauche at 12:52 PM on March 8, 2021 [3 favorites]