Genesis mishap report released
Posted: Wed, Jun 14, 2006, 8:14 AM ET (1214 GMT)
Sensors that were installed upside down, coupled with faulty design and review processes that failed to catch the error, were the cause of the accident that caused NASA's Genesis spacecraft to crash in the Utah desert nearly two years ago, a NASA report released Tuesday concluded. The return capsule of Genesis, carrying solar wind samples collected by the spacecraft, was supposed to descend under parachutes over the Utah desert and be collected in midair on September 8, 2004. However, the capsule slammed into the desert floor when its parachutes failed to deploy. An investigation into the accident concluded the "G-switch sensors" in the capsule were installed in an inverted orientation because of a faulty design, and several reviews of the spacecraft failed to catch the error. The report blamed inadequate engineering management and systems engineering processes, exacerbated by NASA's "faster, better, cheaper" philosophy that reduced oversight by NASA personnel. Despite the crash of the capsule, many of the sample wafers carried by the capsule were successfully salvaged for studies by scientists.
Sensors that were installed upside down, coupled with faulty design and review processes that failed to catch the error, were the cause of the accident that caused NASA's Genesis spacecraft to crash in the Utah desert nearly two years ago, a NASA report released Tuesday concluded. The return capsule of Genesis, carrying solar wind samples collected by the spacecraft, was supposed to descend under parachutes over the Utah desert and be collected in midair on September 8, 2004. However, the capsule slammed into the desert floor when its parachutes failed to deploy. An investigation into the accident concluded the "G-switch sensors" in the capsule were installed in an inverted orientation because of a faulty design, and several reviews of the spacecraft failed to catch the error. The report blamed inadequate engineering management and systems engineering processes, exacerbated by NASA's "faster, better, cheaper" philosophy that reduced oversight by NASA personnel. Despite the crash of the capsule, many of the sample wafers carried by the capsule were successfully salvaged for studies by scientists.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Vast signs contract with SpaceX for ISS private astronaut missions
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:59 AM ET (1659 GMT) Avio signs ESA contracts for Vega upgrades and Earth science satellite launch
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:57 AM ET (1657 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, December 26
Buy SpaceX Stock With Ease, But Beware The Risks
Forbes.com — 7:35 am ET (1235 GMT) ESA Enlists Portuguese Navy Submarine to Prepare for Deep Space
European Spaceflight — 7:22 am ET (1222 GMT) Has CNES Opened the Door for a European Space Station?
European Spaceflight — 7:21 am ET (1221 GMT) Scientists await signal from spacecraft after historic close encounter with the sun
NPR — 7:19 am ET (1219 GMT) Summer read: Cosmic Catastrophes
Cosmos Magazine — 7:18 am ET (1218 GMT) |
