"OM" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:21:56 -0500, "Jorge R. Frank"
wrote:

Alan Erskine wrote:
No wonder the Shuttle is so pharking expensive to operate!

Welcome to the post-CAIB "need more government inspectors" world.

...Jorge, this might be the one time I've ever disagreed with you, but
I'd rather see more inspectors actually doing the job properly than
something go wrong because a step was missed.

On the other hand, we *did* have that issue last mission where the
White Room had a panel that wasn't lashed down properly prior to arm
swingback, and there were several inspectors then as well...

This is a common problem which has been discussed here many times. Adding
more inspectors does not necessarily mean that errors will go down. In
fact, errors can go up due to human nature. When you're the guy who's
supposed to be tripple-checking something that's already signed off by the
worker and two inspectors, are you really going to be giving this task 100%
of your attention?

Remember the NOAA-N Prime satellite that fell off its test stand becuase it
wasn't bolted down? There were multiple signatures on the paperwork saying
that the bolts were there, properly torqued, and etc.

Here's the redacted accident investigation report:

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/65776main_noaa_np_mishap.pdf

Here's a quote from above:

The Responsible Test Engineer (RTE) did not "assure" the turnover
cart configuration through physical and visual verification as
required by the procedures but rather through an examination
of paperwork from a prior operation.

There it is in black and white. The RTE should have visually inspected the
rig to verify the installation of 24 bolts which would have held the
satellite to the stand. He didn't because the paperwork said they were
there.

So, what is the use of increased paperwork if you can't trust it? The
appropriate procedure here would seem to be that the person who's going to
throw the switch to transition the satellite from vertical to horizontal
should be the one who makes sure the bolts are really there. Extra
inspections and paperwork don't necessarily help.

Jeff
--
"Many things that were acceptable in 1958 are no longer acceptable today.
My own standards have changed too." -- Freeman Dyson