Abstract
This chapter focuses on the technological risks taken in space exploration. In addition, the US accidents that resulted in loss of life are discussed—the Apollo 1 fire (1967), the Challenger explosion (1986), and the Columbia disintegration (2003). The resulting discussion addresses technical reasons for each accident as well as a look into the NASA culture and timeline issues that affected each program event. Recent private enterprise space accidents (SpaceShipTwo and SpaceX rocket) are also addressed with reflections on the associated risks of space flight.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Historicwings.com Staff. [Internet] history.com. Columbia disaster; c2015 [cited 2015 Aug 23]. Available from: http://www.historicwings.com/features98/mercury/seven-left-bottom.html
- 2.
Chien, Philip. Space shuttle technology. Compute!. 1991 Aug; 132: p. 92.
- 3.
NASA, [Internet]. Spaceflight.nasa.gov; c2002. General-purpose computers; [cited 2015 Aug 15]. Available from: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/orbiter/avionics/dps/gpc.html
- 4.
Howell, Elizabeth. Space.com Contributor. 28 Aug 2012. Apollo 1: The Fatal Fire. [Internet] [cited 2015 Aug 19]. Available from: http://www.space.com/17338-apollo-1.html
- 5.
Moskowitz, Clara. [Internet] Space.com. 27 Jan 2012: How the Apollo 1 fire changed spaceship design forever; c2016 [cited 2016 Jun 18]. http://www.space.com/14379-apollo1-fire-space-capsule-safety-improvements.html
- 6.
Brown, Alexander. [Internet] history.nasa.gov. Chapter 12: accidents, engineering, and history at NASA; c2015 [cited 2015 Aug 19]. Available from: http://history.nasa.gov/SP-2006-4702/chapters/chapter12.pdf
- 7.
Harwood, William. [Internet] Space-shuttle.com. The fate of challenger’s crew; c2010 [cited 2015 Aug 21]. Available from: http://www.space-shuttle.com/challenger1.htm
- 8.
Howell, Elizabeth. [Internet] Space.com. 16 Jan 2013: Columbia: first shuttle in space; c2016 [cited 2016 Jun 19]. Available from: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/02/space-shuttle-columbia-a-new-beginning-and-vision/
- 9.
History.com Staff. 2010. [Internet] history.com. Columbia disaster; c2015 [cited 2015 Aug 19]. Available from: http://www.history.com/topics/columbia-disaster
- 10.
Lessons unlearned: NASA is to blame for the Columbia disaster. Pittsburgh Post—Gazette. 2003 Sep 02.
- 11.
Report blames flawed NASA culture for tragedy; in broad indictment of practices, Shuttle panel says safety suffered. The Washington Post. 2003 Aug 27.
- 12.
Lessons unlearned: NASA is to blame for the Columbia disaster. Pittsburgh Post—Gazette. 2003 Sep 02.
- 13.
Day, Dwayne A. The decision to retire the space shuttle. The Space Review. 2011 July 18.
- 14.
Chang, Alicia. Virgin Galactic keeps low profile after explosion. USA Today. 2007 Aug 26.
- 15.
Mail FS. 03 Nov 2014. Moment Virgin Galactic spaceship exploded at 45,000 ft. Daily Mail. [London (UK)]: 13:17.
- 16.
Gajanan M. Virgin galactic crash: Co-pilot unlocked braking system too early, inquiry finds. The Guardian. 2015 Jul 29; Sect. 11.
- 17.
Petersen M. SpaceX loss blamed on faulty strut; the snapping of a steel rod caused the rocket to explode after liftoff, says founder Elon Musk. Los Angeles Times. 2015 Jul 21.
- 18.
Strut may be cause of SpaceX accident. Chicago Tribune. 2015 Jul 21; Sect. 11.
- 19.
Petersen M. SpaceX founder Elon Musk blames rocket failure on shoddy part. Los Angeles Times. 2015 Jul 20.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dawson, L. (2017). Technological Risks and Accidents. In: The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration. Springer Praxis Books(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38813-7_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38813-7_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-38811-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-38813-7
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)