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Sequence of Events During Columbia Mission

Posted by michael on from the hindsight-is-20-20 dept.

applemasker writes "Today's NYT is reporting that NASA managers actively resisted requests from vehicle engineers for on-orbit imagery. This should answer Administrator O'Keefe's question of why no engineers 'spoke up' during the flight. Seems they did; managers just ignored them."

8 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. What's new? by NerveGas · · Score: 4, Funny


    "... managers just ignored them."

    The story of an engineer's life.

    steve

    --
    Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
    1. Re:What's new? by Darth · · Score: 4, Funny

      Maybe if engineers could communicate, they would be so ignored.

      you have to love the irony of someone saying exactly the opposite of what they mean when criticizing someone else's communication skills.

      --
      Darth --
      Nil Mortifi, Sine Lucre
    2. Re:What's new? by pyrrhonist · · Score: 5, Funny
      Yes, engineers need to learn to be less direct in their communication, and learn to obfuscate like a manager.

      For instance, "launching now would kill the crew", becomes, "the current orbital insertion paradigm may cause a negative value proposition for this and all future missions".

      See how much more understandable the second quote is? The best part about it is that it doesn't mention death, which is better for shareholder value.

      --
      Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
  2. Managers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Do they have pointy hair as well?

  3. morons by jszep · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can those managers be charged with manslaughter now?

  4. Well, DUH??? by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now what's next? Managers should be expected to listen to engineers???

  5. article text incase of /.ing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Welcome to The New York Times on the Web!

    For full access to our site, please complete this simple registration form.
    As a member, you'll enjoy:
    In-depth coverage and analysis of news events from The New York Times FREE
    Up-to-the-minute breaking news and developing stories FREE
    Exclusive Web-only features, classifieds, tools, multimedia and much, much more FREE

  6. Re:Linda Ham by 680x0 · · Score: 2, Funny
    Interesting article... I noticed one quote:
    "Nobody wanted to do any harm to anyone. Obviously, nobody wants to hurt the crew. These people are our friends. They're our neighbors. We run with them, work out in the gym with them. My husband is an astronaut. I don't believe anyone is at fault for this."
    Her husband is an astronaut? Hmm... "Ham"... that name rings a bell. Was he perhaps one of the earliest Mercury astronauts? (See picture.)