Annotated Mindmap
Challenger

People/Workplaces and Management

System Parts

Management

Workplace

People

Individual Factors

Team Factors

Workplace Factors

Equipment Design

Work Environment

NASA

Shuttle pilot noticed the readings were off but chose to ignore it

Heavy gusts of wind on the day of the launch

Stress

The Challenger (OV-099)

Organisational Factors

Job Design

Information Transfer

Staff

Design Life Cycle

Event Sequence

Construction

Commissioning

De-Commissioning

Engineers notified Launchpad that the O-rings wouldn't work properly with the cold weather and strong wind

72 seconds after launch, Challenger's booster failed and the O-rings were damaged causing smoke since just after launch

January 26, 1986 was more acceptable weather than the next day when Challenger was launched

Launch delayed five days in a row

Challenger exploded, claiming the seven lives on board and the space shuttle

Launch Engineers

Flight crew

Did not note of spiked readings

Made the decision to launch Challenger in inadequate weather

O-rings not suitable for the colder weather

The smoke was not visible from cockpit

Cold temperatures not ideal for launching of the Challenger

The launch of Challenger had been delayed five days in a row

Media and government put pressure on the engineers to launch

Has a history of issues with TRDS-1 and SSMEs

Originally was STA-099, a Structural Tester, made to design and callibrate a new light weight space shuttle orbiter

Escape for the crew was limited and no way out without exterior interference

Cockpit's view and readings of the failing engines caused the downfall of the Challenger and the seven astronauts on board

STA-099 became OV-099, named "Challenger" on January 1, 1979

STA-099 was created as a tester for light weight space shuttle orbiter structure

On January 27, 1986 the Challenger was launched and the booster failed, causing the Challenger and her crew to go up in flames

Engineers

Manufacturers

Astronauts

Crew members, trained and experienced to fly and travel into space

They built the shuttle based off the engineers designs and created the experimental light weight structure. And then made the decision and the changes to convert STA-099 into OV-099

Designed the tester and the changes for the converted orbiter vehicle

Maintenance

Service requirements

Required parts and systems

Trained, experienced and procedures for space flight and orbiter vehicles

Lose of communication between launchpad workers, the crew on the Challenger, ground control and NASA's board for decision-making

Delayed launch for five days due to bad weather

The launchpad workers had worked throughout the night, causing fatigue and bad judgement

No warning systems for the crew to announce the presence of the fire and smoke from the failed booster and the O-rings

Media and the Congress had pressure put on the launchpad workers, the engineers and the crew to launch Challenger as soon as possible

The main part of their job was to get Challenger and her crew into orbit again, for her 10th mission