Paul-A-R03

The Decision to Launch the Space Shuttle Challenger

The destruction of the space shuttle Challenger was as much a failure in the decision making process as it was a mechanical failure of a rocket component. Several factors played a part leading to the fatal decision to launch the rocket despite concerns about the negative effects that the cold weather might have on a successful launch. Among these factors are:
1. The failure to gather and analyze all of the relevant data needed to make a sound decision
2. The failure to present the data arguing against a launch in a clear and concise manner
3. Outside pressures to make a quick decision that did not place the safety of the crew as its highest priority.
The first two items are relevant to information design. The last is a political question.

When analyzing data it is important to have as much data present as possible so that comparisons can be made and patterns can be recognized. The 13 charts that were prepared to support cancelling the launch never presented all of the relevant information in one chart or graph. Instead information on rocket tests, o-ring failure and temperature of the o-rings at ignition was spread out among various charts. The data was not consistent. Rocket engines had three different designations making it difficult to identify which engines were being referred to. Not all of the data was included in all of the charts. In some cases only the data that showed wear or failure was included. As a result it was not possible to compare this data with the results of many other successful tests and flights to establish the pattern of failure due to the temperature of the o-rings. The causal link to temperature was not clearly established based on the data that was selected.

From the standpoint of information design the data was not clearly presented. The pre-launch data was delivered as written reports or as charts with columns of data. They required intensive scrutiny to understand the data or recommendations that were being presented. Data was ordered by engine designation with no attempt to sort the data by other relevant factors such as o-ring wear or temperature. Temperature was never emphasized in the charts as a cause of the o-ring failure.

The post-disaster graphics were equally poorly designed. The use of rocket icons made the data maps difficult to read. There was little visual contrast between the icons and the data presented. Grids of rocket icons, while making the graphic more accessible to a non-technician, created clutter and noise. The interaction of the many vertical lines causes flashing in the negative spaces distracting the viewer from the data. The use of shading and cross-hatching in keyed symbols for wear and failure was not sequential. The value of the shading did not correspond to a greater or lesser degree of wear or failure. Furthermore there was no attempt to arrange the data according to degrees of wear or temperature when presenting the visual data.

The launch of the space shuttle Challenger was planned as a media event to be viewed by the whole nation. Many resources were committed to covering the launch. Due to political and economic pressures the launch was going to proceed as planned unless very strong evidence could be brought forward to prevent it. Unfortunately, although the data was available to do so, whether due to time constraints or lack of skill, the presentation of the data failed to have what might have been a life-saving impact.