Submarine safety and NASA

Something the CAIB glosses over, (the full Benchmark report may cover
it, but I've not yet read it)...

*Everyone* on the boat, from the newest nub to the CO in inculcated in
safety principles and is made aware that they personally are part of
both the problem and the solution. The next trick is that the
principles of the safety programs are part of the daily life, not only
in the formal portion, but in humor, off-duty behavior etc. The final
facet is that safety awareness and training continues until the day
you leave the service.

Can NASA really implement this when 99% of the 'crew' of a given
flight will never in their careers be exposed to the dangers of
flight?

D.
--
The STS-107 Columbia Loss FAQ can be found
at the following URLs:

Text-Only Version:
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq.html

Enhanced HTML Version:
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq_x.html

Corrections, comments, and additions should be
e-mailed to , as well as posted to
sci.space.history and sci.space.shuttle for
discussion.

"Derek Lyons" wrote:
Something the CAIB glosses over, (the full Benchmark report may cover
it, but I've not yet read it)...

*Everyone* on the boat, from the newest nub to the CO in inculcated in
safety principles and is made aware that they personally are part of
both the problem and the solution. The next trick is that the
principles of the safety programs are part of the daily life, not only
in the formal portion, but in humor, off-duty behavior etc. The final
facet is that safety awareness and training continues until the day
you leave the service.

Can NASA really implement this when 99% of the 'crew' of a given
flight will never in their careers be exposed to the dangers of
flight?

Derek --

May I direct you to the "Flight Controller's Creed", hosted on my site at:
http://space.balettie.com/Creed.html

Specifically, I refer to:

2. To always be aware that suddenly and unexpectedly we may find ourselves
in a role where our performance has ultimate consequences.

Yes, actually being *on* (or in) the vehicle in operation is a prime
motivator for self-preservation, but the men and women of Mission Control
certainly don't take their jobs any less seriously than if they were onboard
the Orbiter themselves.

Roger
--
Roger Balettie
former Flight Dynamics Officer
Space Shuttle Mission Control
http://www.balettie.com/

"Derek Lyons" wrote:
*Everyone* on the boat, from the newest nub to the CO in inculcated in
safety

Can NASA really implement this when 99% of the 'crew' of a given
flight will never in their careers be exposed to the dangers of
flight?

Another key difference is that the shuttle does not operate 24 hrs a day for six
month stretches.

I guess the reason I don't go on sub cruises is that I would be the one that
says "That valve always drips" or "that gauge is always 10 psi off." According
to the submariners, this sort of agenda does not "make it". On another topic, I
always recall the words of Gene Kranz when the Apollo 13 messed up, to the
effect of "Let's not do anything precipitous that closes out our options." I'd
be the one who hit a switch in a hurry and gets court-martialed.

I have heard that the report is critical of efforts to make the launch day.
Earth to Gehman. That isn't going to change.

"Kent Betts" wrote:

"Derek Lyons" wrote:
*Everyone* on the boat, from the newest nub to the CO in inculcated in
safety

Can NASA really implement this when 99% of the 'crew' of a given
flight will never in their careers be exposed to the dangers of
flight?

Another key difference is that the shuttle does not operate 24 hrs a day for six
month stretches.

Naval Aviation operates some pretty brutal schedules and manages to
keep the accident rate down.

I guess the reason I don't go on sub cruises is that I would be the one that
says "That valve always drips" or "that gauge is always 10 psi off." According
to the submariners, this sort of agenda does not "make it".

Huh? That's the kind of behavior that preferred.

D.
--
The STS-107 Columbia Loss FAQ can be found
at the following URLs:

Text-Only Version:
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq.html

Enhanced HTML Version:
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq_x.html

Corrections, comments, and additions should be
e-mailed to , as well as posted to
sci.space.history and sci.space.shuttle for
discussion.

Paul --

your constructive posts are more interesting.

/dps