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Important document handwritten by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman during his time on the Rogers Commission, established by President Reagan to investigate the cause of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. In this document, Feynman records his notes for the most important days of the investigation, the day he discovered that O-ring failure was the cause of the disaster, and the day of his famous ''Ice Water Experiment'', where he exposed it to the world during a televised Senate hearing.
Feynman begins the document by writing ''Meeting Mon Feb 10''. He then records various dates from 1984-1985 with different numbers likely referencing temperatures. This is most certainly the data sheet given by one of the engineers to Sally Ride, who risked her job to then give it to Donald Kutyna, who passed it to Richard Feynman. It was these tests that NASA hid, showing that performance of the O-rings declined as the temperature dropped. Feynman writes underneath the numbers, ''Best info in last section on O-rings...Thiokol at first claimed they said O-ring not to be used below 50 [degrees] actual temp 15 [degrees] Later they changed their mind. I request technical data they used to change their mind...''
The next entry is for 11 February 1986, the day of the televised hearings where he exposed the failure of the O-rings to the world by dramatically submerging them in ice water. Feynman writes, ''Viton [the rubber material] O-rings...O-ring does not show resilience at 39 [degrees] F. / Question for Mr. Mulloy [Lawrence Mulloy, the NASA SRB project manager who overruled his engineers' objections to the launch]. / 1. Your data say about immediate resilience. / 2. Is it true that low Temp increases chance of O-ring joint failure / 3. Did you have a Temp limit on safety for seals.''
On Wednesday 12 February, Feynman's brief notes read in part, ''Photos / Time Lines!...How to make investigation.'' For 13-14 February he writes KSC [Kennedy Space Center] in the margin, continuing, ''Briefings. Fri get picture...of black smoke...Seems to start (white vapor) on 2nd frame. Two bursts of black going up along rocket. No flame. / Low T (7 [degrees], 9 [degrees]) reported at RH, SRB. / Thiokol McDonald transmits 50 [degree] fly decision. Mulloy asks reconsider. Caucus at Thiokol Best seal engineers (Boisjoly [Roger Boisjoly] and Arnie Thompson) says no. Thio decides yes. McDonald [Allan McDonald, director of Solid Rocket Motors at Morton-Thiokol] want sign but they get fax. signature!''
An incredible document, serving as testimony to the comprehensive work that Feynman and others did to uncover and expose the cause of the Challenger disaster, one of the most consequential events of the latter 20th century. Sheet measures 8.5'' x 11''. Light wear, overall near fine condition. From the estate of Richard Feynman.
Richard Feynman Handwritten Document From the Challenger Investigation -- Feynman's Detailed Notes for 10-14 February 1986, the Day He Discovered O-ring Failure & the Day of the Ice Water Experiment
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