The Engineer Who Tried to Stop Challenger
Roger Boisjoly urgently warned NASA about O-ring failures in cold weather before the 1986 Challenger launch. The Morton Thiokol engineer presented data showing the rubber seals lost elasticity below 53°F. The launch temperature was 36°F. NASA managers, under schedule pressure, overruled his objections. Seventy-three seconds after liftoff, the shuttle exploded, killing all seven crew members. The catastrophe grounded the shuttle program for nearly three years while safety protocols were overhauled.
