NASA Finds Critical Assembly Fault in Shuttle

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NASA Finds Critical Assembly Fault in Shuttle

Posted by michael on Tuesday March 23, 2004 @05:28AM from the lucked-out dept.

mzs writes "During corrosion inspection on Discovery, technicians noticed that one of the gears in a rudder actuator had been installed backwards. This particular actuator was the top-most of four that control the air brakes on the tail. As luck turns out, if it had been the bottom-most actuator, loss of the shuttle and crew would have been nearly inevitable. Plans are in place to have four spares by the time Shuttle missions resume next year."

26 of 383 comments (clear)

Simple solution, really. by grub · 2004-03-23 05:29 · Score: 5, Funny

Could they not stamp "THIS SIDE UP" or whatever on the components?

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Trolling is a art,
1. Re:Simple solution, really. by fbform · 2004-03-23 05:37 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Could they not stamp "THIS SIDE UP" or whatever on the components?
  
  They did something similar with the modified 747 that carries the shuttle orbiter back after landing. See this picture. This is supposed to be a sign on top of the 747, where the orbiter links to the top of the 747's fuselage. It reads "Place Orbiter Here...Black Side Down".
  
  If this is real, they have one hell of a sense of humor.
  
  --
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2. Re:Simple solution, really. by Kenja · 2004-03-23 05:42 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  "Could they not stamp "THIS SIDE UP" or whatever on the components?"
  There is no "up" in space....
  
  --
  
  "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
3. Re:Simple solution, really. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 05:45 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Impossible? Nah, they'll just need a bigger hammer.
4. Re:Simple solution, really. by Imperator · 2004-03-23 06:00 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  And I bet someone will manage to force it in backwards, breaking three other parts in the process.
  
  --
  
  Gates' Law: Every 18 months, the speed of software halves.
5. Re:Simple solution, really. by Stitch_626 · 2004-03-23 06:27 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  They could stamp "If you can read this, turn gear around and install correctly" on one side and "There you go Einstein...you finally got it right" on the other.
  
  --
  Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
6. Re:Simple solution, really. by Oliver+Wendell+Jones · 2004-03-23 06:33 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  dang... where's the "-1 Choad" modifier when you really need it?
  
  --
  A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing -- Emo Phillips
7. Re:Simple solution, really. by WolfWithoutAClause · 2004-03-23 07:06 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Reminds me of the black humour on a concrete lid on a nuclear ICBM tube. Allegedly it's painted like a pizza box- with the words:
  'Guaranteed delivery anywhere in world in 30 minutes'
  '- or the next one's free'
  :-)
  I also liked the story on slashdot a few years ago about a decommisioned secret RSA listening station with a huge smiley face painted on the parabolic radio receiver dish saying 'hi' to the russians...
  
  --
  -WolfWithoutAClause
  "Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"
8. Re:Simple solution, really. by bjohnson · 2004-03-23 07:16 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Damn straight!
  
  Quick...it's total darkness, the bad guys are on your trail and you have 15 seconds to place and rig the claymore, or you're all gonna get captured or killed.
  
  Yes you want it to be as completely foolproof as possible.
9. Re:Simple solution, really. by kin_korn_karn · 2004-03-23 08:33 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  It's no accident that your PC's AC power connection doesn't look anything like the ethernet connection.
  
  Mine doe!@*&934128()#*!)@((~!
10. Re:Simple solution, really. by DerekLyons · 2004-03-23 10:47 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Reminds me of the black humour on a concrete lid on a nuclear ICBM tube. Allegedly it's painted like a pizza box- with the words:
  'Guaranteed delivery anywhere in world in 30 minutes'
  
  '- or the next one's free'
  
  On my SSBN we had two signs over the firing console. The first said "Trident - When you care enough to send the very best", the other said "16 empty missile tubes, 16 mushroom clouds, It's Miller Time". Yes, strategic weaponeers have a black sense of humor.
I guess they... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 05:32 · Score: 3, Funny

Didn't get the memo. I'm gonna go ahead and get you another copy of that, mmmkay?
Geez... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 05:33 · Score: 4, Funny

Come on NASA, it's not rocket science! Oh wait...
I'm betting... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 05:35 · Score: 5, Funny

...I'll be running Duke Nukem: Forever on Microsoft Longhorn before the next shuttle launches.
Outsourced Inspectors? by netglen · 2004-03-23 05:35 · Score: 2, Funny

So which inspectors found the fault? Was it one of NASA's inspectors or one that was outsourced to India? Can somebody post a copy of the article please?
Should have used Java by iamacat · 2004-03-23 05:37 · Score: 4, Funny

NASA Finds Critical Assembly Fault in Shuttle

I know NASA is conservative with technology, but using assembly in this day and age is way backwards!
Quothe NASA: by Luveno · 2004-03-23 05:39 · Score: 2, Funny

"whoops!"
NASA Finds Critical Assembly Fault in Shuttle by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 05:41 · Score: 3, Funny

Isn't it about time they switched from assembly to C ?
Outsourcing by ever+vigilant · 2004-03-23 05:43 · Score: 3, Funny

NASA needs to start outsourcing to India, I hear they do great work for their pay.
New backwards moniker for NASA! by Jedi+Holocron · 2004-03-23 05:50 · Score: 2, Funny

ASANine

This whole thing is despicable.
Re:How can a fault go unnoticed for so long? by Alkaiser · 2004-03-23 05:55 · Score: 3, Funny

The reason this went unnoticed for so long is simple...those guys at NASA...you know, they're not exactly rocket scientists...

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The ONLY way to guarantee that... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 06:01 · Score: 2, Funny

...this sort of thing no longer happens (for NASA or Microsoft) is to put punitivie punchiments on the engineer/developer's heads if these things happen agaion.

If the USA is to become the empire it plans to be, we need more draconian measures to keep the incompitentes out of the way. Something like this would suffice:

From: Microsoft Corporate
Subject: Trusted Computing Initiative 2

In an effort to better secure computing for our customers, we are implementing new measures in our code revision system. The biometric login tubules installed at your workstations will allow you to log in and code the next gratest version of Windows OS. However, from now on, all code you write will be linked to your DNA. If, at some future time, a hole is found and your code is responsible, you will be summarily executed and replaced with the next coder in line. While this may sound a little harsh, we've found that this is the only way in which we can write secure code and still remain a proprietary OS with none of that dirty, smelly, nasty communist "free software" stuff going on. So go out and fix those bugs... your life is DEPENDING on it.

Sincerely,
Steve "The Fat Man" Ballme(r)
Re:How can a fault go unnoticed for so long? by FatAlb3rt · 2004-03-23 06:05 · Score: 3, Funny

but as we've seen...its horribly flawed.

Careful, jerking your knee so suddenly like that might result in an injury.
Maybe by Salsaman · 2004-03-23 06:10 · Score: 2, Funny

maybe one part of NASA was using radians, and another degrees.
Re:Just goes to show.. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 06:17 · Score: 1, Funny

If this can happen on the Shuttle, I wonder what happens on commercial airliners ?

The FAA allows many "minor" repairs to the fuselage to be done with duct tape. Feeling better?
Re:Except they stamped the wrong side by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-23 12:43 · Score: 1, Funny

Solution: Put "Are you sure you installed this right?" on BOTH sides!