The Space Shuttle: A $200 Billion Lesson in Risk Management

Video Description

Over its lifetime the shuttle carried out a more diverse range of missions than any other launch system in existence. It also resulted in the most studied disaster in history. With the rise of private spaceflight, it has become 'fashionable' to look back on the Shuttle only for its shortcomings. It is too easy to forget how far ahead of its time the Shuttle was when it first launched, and what it gave back to us. Unfortunately, this risky technology also got ahead of NASA's ability to properly manage it. https://www.patreon.com/alexandertheok 3D Modelling by Artem Tatarchenko: https://www.instagram.com/artem.iskustvo/ https://www.youtube.com/@Artem.Kak.Art./videos Sources: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4yrgqaudz1zxhx4enfin9/shuttle-sources.ods?rlkey=oxcww8e4m1k2l0jjvh2gvifjr&st=vzh3nrwq&dl=0 Unless specified onscreen, all footage is sourced from NASA. Playlist of some source videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI2UlFg4eJTGodJmqzcvDQhu-ge7opNvf Special mention to this collection of engineer-commentated engineering footage (largely filmed on 16 and 35mm film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwqZ4qAUkE&t=1097s 00:00 Intro 03:45 Orbiter Requirements 09:55 RS-25. Beauty in Complexity 18:28 Solid Rocket Boosters...a suspiciously long chapter 45:41 Avionics. Innovation with well managed risk 51:54 Thermal Protection System. Innovation with poorly managed risk 01:05:38 Legacy