space > exploration > leadership
In 2008, as part of my new job at NASA Headquarters, I was told to ‘try out’ some of the new social media applications. There was no other guidance given (that may have changed since then). In mid-2008 and continuing … Continue reading →
I’ve been on a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage of the old-fashioned kind. It was not something I thought I would ever do. The terms pilgrim and pilgrimage are used frequently these days and often without much consideration of their historic meaning. … Continue reading →
I am told that there is a principle that both the President and Vice President never ride on the same aircraft, for a pragmatic if ghoulish reason. We can’t afford to lose both of them in one accident. During a … Continue reading →
Absolute certainty can never be attained for many reasons, one of them being that even without limits on time and other resources, engineers can never be sure they have foreseen all possible contingencies, asked and answered every question, played out … Continue reading →
The official NASA history of STS-109 can be found on the agency web page: The last part of that official account reads: “After a successful launch, flight controllers in Mission Control noticed a degraded flow rate in one of two … Continue reading →
Warning: A long story that has a lot of technical details – and a moral. Reflecting on my career as a Space Shuttle Flight Director, there were many difficult decisions to make and sometimes some terrifying results. Putting peoples’ lives … Continue reading →
Probably the most heart stopping moments in spaceflight occur at the final stages of a countdown to liftoff. Will it go or not? What happens once the engines start? Success or failure or just wait for another day? I lived … Continue reading →
I have a good friend who flew helicopters in combat for the US Army. His number one rule is “Don’t Do Stupid.” I think this is a good rule to remember. We have too much at stake in space exploration … Continue reading →
A few days ago, I wrote about ‘Protecting the Bird Sanctuary’. I hope you read it. Because I told you that story just to be able to tell this one. I put this story in the ‘mostly true’ category – … Continue reading →
SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT RULE A2-62 ET FOOTPRINT CRITERIA DESIGN MECO CONDITIONS AND ABORT MODE BOUNDARIES MUST PROVIDE AN ET IMPACT POINT (IP) FOOTPRINT, INCLUDING 3-SIGMA DISPERSIONS, WHICH SATISFIES THE FOLLOWING CONSTRAINTS: A. NOMINAL MECO TARGET: THE ET IP FOOTPRINT … Continue reading →