History of Space Exploration: Chapter 7, Exercise 1 — Possible Solution
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CHALLENGER
Technical: O-ring seal failure in the right booster in record cold.
Organisational: management reversed the engineers' recommendation against
launching below 53 F; NASA accepted O-ring erosion without evaluating it;
flight-rate pressure. NOT SAID: who decided to launch; the crew's fate.

COLUMBIA
Technical: foam strike on the left wing at launch; hot gases at re-entry.
Organisational: foam strikes normalised as an accepted flight risk; cost and
schedule pressure. NOT SAID: how likely a combined rescue would have been.