Jan 26 2009
Learning from Tragedy
Back at the end of 2008, a painful but very important report came out discussing something that’s at the heart a space safety profession: what happened to the crew of STS-107. The report is available on the net and there is an excellent description of the key points of this published in the New York Times. Even more briefly, the restraints and protective devices on the Orbiter were not effective and our hapless crew was tossed and whipped around . Fortunately, they were believed to be unconscious.
Having effective restraints wouldn’t have made the difference between living and dying for the crew (sadly), but there are definitely lessons here to learn from this tragedy. As much as improved restraints and seats might be a good thing, the report is also a grim reminder that the first order of business must always be to keep such events from happening. Reactive measures are never as good as preventative measures.
The first goal of safety, of course, must be to preclude bad things from happening. Naturally, this doesn’t apply just to space or to safety. However useful a seat belt is, not getting into an accident is preferred. When driving, some of that is out of one’s hands. In space and in other arenas of life, it can be even less so. And that’s a key element, too. Looking out for yourself is a good thing, but we must be equally diligent when it is someone else’s butt depending on our diligence.
When I was in college, an engineering professor told us a story, which I cannot vouch for veracity-wise, but I’m going to share anyway. According to the professor, when the US army first used paratroopers in battle, apparently the rate of failure for the parachutes was very high (he used ~50%, but I would hope that’s an exaggeration). Those that packed the parachutes were not the ones using them and this failure rate was addressed by requiring those that packed them to take jumps using their own parachutes.
I’d like to think that we can think about the well-being of others without having to resort to something that drastic, but I’ve seen people get pretty cavalier when other people’s lives were on the line. It’s not an attitude I respect. And, as I mentioned, space is not the only place where this is an issue.
Examples include drunk drivers and an attitude that one’s “freedom” trumps the right to live for the poor souls on the road with one. I’ve got no sympathy for that kind of thinking and, sure, their judgment is impaired, but then, how many people have only driven drunk once? The first time, perhaps, you were an idiot. The second, well that’s something different. And, for the record, you can kill someone the first time. If you must drink yourself silly, stay home. Or take a cab.
Perhaps it’s one reason I am so easily irked by those that are cavalier about destroying the environment or extending rights to all people, or who shrug when stories of hardship come from overseas, even if we are a factor in their hardship.
There are many things that make us human, but nothing, in my opinion, makes us more so than our compassion, our consideration, our responsibility, our unwillingness to allow others to be hurt through our mistakes, malice or laziness. I wish those traits were universal.
I’m sorry. This is not as good a post as I would like. It is always hard for me to write about Columbia.
Try to bear with me.
Steph, supposedly religion was invented to create an atmosphere where one could reach outside of the self and exist on a communal, societal level. Unfortunately it hasn’t always worked out that way. Too much contemporary “spirituality” is inward-focused, from EST to the new evangelicals, for whom personal salvation is more important than social awareness.
I don’t know what to tell you, except to keep trying to walk your talk and hope the example has an influence on someone. Hopefully there’s a new spirit moving these days, as represented by our new President and his ideas about banding together as a society to confront and conquer our obstacles. We’ll see, I guess.
I think that those involved with the space program now…and especially their families, should be very grateful that you and the people you work with take their safety seriously …even when you are a pain in their butts… and I am sure you are
You’re amazing.
I’d probably have a hard time writing about something as raw to me as Columbia is for you; the fact that it took you mentioning that it was a raw subject for me to notice that the writing wasn’t quite your usual standard is a tribute in and of itself.
I agree with you; even a belt and suspenders approach to rocket safety isn’t enough (for people not used to the slang, this is having backup plans–the idea is that even if the belt fails, the suspenders will still keep your pants up). What we need is more belt, suspenders, clips, a drawstring, rolling up the cuffs so we don’t step on our pant legs, and paying very close attention to the location of the waistband.
Go Steph. Keep up the good gadflying.
Of course, it’s a good post because you’re showing passion again.
I despise it when someone drives drunk. They always seem to walk away fine while killing everyone else. It’s just senseless. They decide “I’m good” after they are already not in a position to make a rational decision. That’s not responsible at all. I had a designated driver if I was going to drink. And, if there was no one else to do it, I was the dd.
I agree that prevention is far better than intervention. Intervention has dire consequences of not planning or giving something forethought.
Davida