K-Gray Engineering Pathway Digital Library - Engineering Education Wing of the NSDL

The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster: A Case Study in Engineering Ethics

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Audience/Grade: College Freshman - Graduate
Discipline(s): Aerospace Engineering
Engineering Ethics
Learning Resource Type: Teaching - Case Study
Media Type:

 WWW
Author(s): Michael Rabins, Ed Harris, Michael Pritchard and Lee Lowery Texas A&M
Description: "On January 28, 1986, seven astronauts were killed when the space shuttle they were piloting, the Challenger, exploded just over a minute into the flight. The failure of the solid rocket booster O-rings to seat properly allowed hot combustion gases to leak from the side of the booster and burn through the external fuel tank. The failure of the O-ring was attributed to several factors, including faulty design of the solid rocket boosters, insufficient low- temperature testing of the O-ring material and the joints that the O-ring sealed, and lack of proper communication between different levels of NASA management. Instructor Guidelines Prior to class discussion, ask the students to read the student handout outside of class. In class the details of the case can be reviewed with the aide of the overheads. Reserve about half of the class period for an open discussion of the issues. The issues covered in the student handout include the importance of an engineer's responsibility to public welfare, the need for this responsibility to hold precedence over any other responsibilities the engineer might have and the responsibilities of a manager/engineer."
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Keywords: Space science, Technology, Space Shuttle Challenger, ethics
Is Component of Introducing Ethics Case Studies into Required Undergraduate Engineering Courses
   
Usage Tip
Related ABET Criteria: (f) Understand professional and ethical responsibility
Use of Resource: Case study in engineering ethics

There are many online references and visuals that can be used to enhance the multimedia component of this case.

   
Version Info
Publication Date: December 2006
Platform/Format: WWW
Cost: Free
Download URL: http://ethics.tamu.edu/ethics/shuttle/shuttle1.htm
Metadata: IEEE LOM Record
Collection: NEEDS NEEDS