Truth, Lies, and ORings, Allan J. McDonald
Truth, Lies, and ORings, Allan J. McDonald
List: $34.99 | Sale: $24.50
Club: $17.49

Truth, Lies, and O-Rings
Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

Author: Allan J. McDonald, James R. Hansen

Narrator: Jonathan Yen

Unabridged: 26 hr 59 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 08/07/2018


Synopsis

On a cold January morning in 1986, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Challenger, despite warnings against doing so by many individuals, including Allan McDonald. The fiery destruction of Challenger on live television moments after launch remains an indelible image in the nation's collective memory.

In Truth, Lies, and O-Rings, McDonald, a skilled engineer and executive, relives the tragedy from where he stood at Launch Control Center. As he fought to draw attention to the real reasons behind the disaster, he was the only one targeted for retribution by both NASA and his employer, Morton Thiokol, Inc., makers of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters. In this whistle-blowing yet rigorous and fair-minded book, McDonald, with the assistance of internationally distinguished aerospace historian James R. Hansen, addresses all of the factors that led to the accident, some of which were never included in NASA's Failure Team report submitted to the Presidential Commission.

Truth, Lies, and O-Rings is the first look at the Challenger tragedy and its aftermath from someone who was on the inside, recognized the potential disaster, and tried to prevent it. It also addresses the early warnings of very severe debris issues from the first two post-Challenger flights, which ultimately resulted in the loss of Columbia some fifteen years later.

About Allan J. McDonald

Allan J. McDonald retired as vice president and technical director for advanced technology programs at ATK Thiokol Propulsion in 2001. He was the director of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Project at the time of the Challenger accident and, later, vice president of engineering for space operations during the redesign and requalification of the solid rocket motors.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Matthew on June 02, 2021

I have had this book on my TBR for a while now and was inspired to give it a try after watching the Challenger docu-series on Netflix. Unfortunately, historical disasters are fascinating and tend to make for interesting shows and books. I remember the day the Challenger accident happened, and I have......more

Goodreads review by Chrissie on April 14, 2024

I am not an engineer, therefore this very long listen was difficult at times, but I did manage to get the gist. There is a LOT of repetition, and loads of self congratulation from the author - some may say that he is right to I am sure, as he is unusual for actually telling the truth about what happe......more

Goodreads review by Lyn on June 02, 2009

My father worked for Morton-Thiokol at the time of the Challenger disaster. While he hasn't read this book yet, he says that this is the person he trusts to tell the truth. It was great to hear this first-hand account and to compare it to my father's stories and my own memories. I was surprised at h......more

Goodreads review by Kathy on July 03, 2017

OMG, finally got through this freaking book. It was tough to finish. I really like the information in it, but the writing was not pleasant. He repeats himself over and over, sometimes from one page to the next. He also includes SO MANY unnecessary details! I don't care that you ordered pizza while y......more

Goodreads review by Christian on March 20, 2013

I think most of us know the official causes of the Challenger disaster. But this book examines the disaster through one of the engineers aside from Roger Boisjoly that raised concerns about the launch. While some of the sections are repetitive through the book, because of the technical complexity I......more