68 Engineering Ethics: An Industrial Perspective
1983–1986. Blow-by of combustion gases past the O-ring was discovered in
10 of 25 flights during 1983–1986. Thiokol established an O-ring task force
on August 20, 1985 to investigate the solid rocket motor case and nozzle
joints and recommend both short-term and long-term solutions.
LAUNCH
DELAYS AND SUBSEQUENT LAUNCH
In the 1980s, each space shuttle flight was designated by two numbers and
a letter, such as 41-B. The first digit indicated the fiscal year of the scheduled
launch, such as “4” for 1984. The second digit identified the launch site, with
“1” signifying the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, and “2”
signifying Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The letter corresponded
to ...