Finding Aid for the Roger and Roberta Boisjoly NASA Challenger disaster collection 2010.017.r

Rand Boyd, Wendy Gonaver, Victoria Perez
Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Leatherby Libraries
05/21/2010. Last updated: 10/10/2023.
Chapman University
One University Drive
Orange 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Leatherby Libraries
Title: Roger and Roberta Boisjoly NASA Challenger disaster collection
Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)
source: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)
Identifier/Call Number: 2010.017.r
Physical Description: 14.5 Linear Feet 13 containers total (12 cartons and 1 large flat-box)
Date (inclusive): 1954-2012
Date (bulk): 1980s-1990s
Abstract: This collection spans from 1954 to 2012 and contains Roger Boisjoly's professional and personal papers regarding the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and his engineering career.
Physical Location: Leatherby Libraries
Language of Material: English .

Conditions Governing Access

Though this collection is open for research, it should be noted that it is not fully arranged and described.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Roger and Roberta Boisjoly in 2010 and 2016. Also, gift of Gene K. Baxter in 2014.

Arrangement

This collection is organized by material type into six series that include several subseries:
  • Series 1, Roger Boisjoly papers, 1980-2012, bulk: 1980s-1990s
  • ----Subseries 1, Correspondence, business, 1986-1999
  • ----Subseries 2, Memoranda, Morton Thiokol Inc., internal, 1980-1986
  • ----Subseries 3, Logbooks, SRM Seal Task Team, daily, 1984-1986
  • ----Subseries 4, Class material, Space Shuttle Challenger and business ethics, 1985-2003
  • ----Subseries 5, Articles and lectures, Space Shuttle Challenger, 1986-2009
  • ----Subseries 6, Transcripts, Boisjoly v. Morton Thiokol Inc., 1987-1988
  • ----Subseries 7, Photographs, O-ring tests, 1984-1985
  • ----Subseries 8, Transcripts, Smith, et al. v. Morton Thiokol Inc., 1988
  • ----Subseries 9, Clippings, 1986-2012
  • ----Subseries 10, Business, Boisjoly Engineering LTD, 1987-2003
  • ----Subseries 11, Papers and memorabilia, personal, 1981-2006
  • Series 2, Audio/video and digital media, 1986-2006
  • ----Subseries 1, Radio interviews, 1987-1996
  • ----Subseries 2, Lectures, presentations and book floppy disks, 1988-2003
  • ----Subseries 3, Television broadcasts, 1986-2006
  • Series 3, Space Shuttle Challenger ephemera, 1986-1994
  • Series 4, Space Shuttle Challenger disaster reports, 1986-1991
  • ----Subseries 1, Report, Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, 1986
  • ----Subseries 2, Report, Space Shuttle Challenger Accident by Richard Cook, 1986
  • ----Subseries 3, Report, Boisjoly's testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight: NASA's Midlife Crisis: Context for Reform, 1991
  • ----Subseries 4, Report, Investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, 1986
  • Series 5, Awards given to Roger Boisjoly, 1987-1995
  • Series 6, Forensic engineering papers, 1954-1995, bulk: 1970s-1995
  • ----Subseries 1, Books, 1954-1974
  • ----Subseries 2, Papers, legal, 1986-1996
  • ----Subseries 3, Papers, professional, 1971-1995
  • ----Subseries 4, Papers, patent applications, 1964-1995
  • ----Subseries 5, Papers, safety, 1977-1993
  • ----Subseries 6, Photographs, circa 1990
  • ----Subseries 7, VHS tapes, 1987-1991
  • ----Subseries 8, Wooden dowel, circa 1990

Biographical / Historical

Roger Boisjoly (1938-2012) was a mechanical engineer, fluid dynamicist and an aerodynamicist who worked for Morton Thiokol, Inc., the manufacturer of the solid rocket motors for NASA's Space Shuttle Program. He is best known for raising objections to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger the day before the loss of the spacecraft and its crew.
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the spacecraft broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members.

Acronyms

Below is a list of acronyms used in this collection:
  • ASRM – advanced solid rocket motor
  • MSFC – Marshall Space Flight Center
  • MTI – Morton Thiokol Inc., also known as Thiokol Corporation, Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK), and ATK Thiokol
  • NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • RSRM – reusable solid rocket motor
  • SRB – solid rocket booster
  • SRM – solid rocket motor
  • SLS – Space Launch System
  • STS – Space Transportation System, Space Shuttle
  • STS-51L – Space Shuttle Challenger's last mission, 1986 January 28

Preferred Citation

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Roger and Roberta Boisjoly NASA Challenger disaster collection, Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA. For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Processing Information

Processed by Rand Boyd in 2010 and updated by Wendy Gonaver in 2020. Last updated by Victoria Perez as of October 2023.
Though this collection is open for research, it is not fully arranged and described. There are at least 3 linear feet left to process that consist of class and lecture material given by Boisjoly, A/V material of his lectures, as well as several Mbs of digital files to process and describe.
This resource follows NASA's preferred naming conventions listed online in the "Style Guide for NASA History Authors and Editors" found in the Bibliography note. These include referring to a spacecraft as the "Space Shuttle Challenger" in roman text and a mission as "STS-51L." The words "Space Shuttle" should be capitalized, such as in "Space Shuttle mission." An exception in this resource includes retaining the collection's original title.

Related Materials

Researchers will also find of interest this repository's Linda and Allan J. McDonald NASA Challenger disaster archives (2016.002.s.r) that contain Allan's personal and engineering papers and the Mark Maier NASA Challenger disaster collection (2010.002.r). Both collections contain extensive material on the Space Shuttle Challenger investigation.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains Roger Boisjoly's professional and personal papers that span from 1954 to 2012 and cover his engineering career, the development of NASA's Space Shuttle solid rocket motor and the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. These materials include Boisjoly's personal and business correspondence, memoranda, logbooks, class materials, articles and lectures, legal transcripts, photographs, clippings, government reports, audio/visual media, ephemera, awards, and forensic engineering papers.
Besides copies of Boisjoly's Presidential Commission and congressional testimony, there are copies of testimony from other participants and the complete report made by the United States House of Representatives' Committee on Science and Technology.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Bibliography

Barry, Bill (NASA Chief Historian) and Stephen Garber (NASA Official). Style Guide for NASA History Authors and Editors. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. February 23, 2018. https://history.nasa.gov/printFriendly/styleguide.html.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Solid propellant rockets
Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
Engineering--History
United States. -- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident
Forensic engineering
Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)

 

Series 1, Roger Boisjoly papers 1980-2012 1980s-1990s

Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)

Arrangement

This series is organized by material type into eleven subseries:
  • Subseries 1, Correspondence, business, 1986-1999
  • Subseries 2, Memoranda, Morton Thiokol Inc., internal, 1980-1986
  • Subseries 3, Logbooks, SRM Seal Task Team, daily, 1984-1986
  • Subseries 4, Class material, Space Shuttle Challenger and business ethics, 1985-2003
  • Subseries 5, Articles and lectures, Space Shuttle Challenger, 1986-2009
  • Subseries 6, Transcripts, Boisjoly v. Morton Thiokol Inc., 1987-1988
  • Subseries 7, Photographs, O-ring tests, 1984-1985
  • Subseries 8, Transcripts, Smith et al. v. Morton Thiokol, Inc., 1988
  • Subseries 9, Clippings, 1986-2012
  • Subseries 10, Business, Boisjoly Engineering LTD, 1987-2003
  • Subseries 11, Papers and memorabilia, personal, 1981-2006

Scope and Contents

This series contains the business papers of mechanical engineer Roger Boisjoly during his employment with Morton Thiokol, Inc. and later during his career as a lecturer on business and engineering ethics.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
Morton Thiokol, Inc.
carton 1

Subseries 1, Correspondence, business 1986-1999

Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains correspondence dealing with the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
carton 2, carton 3

Subseries 2, Memoranda, Morton Thiokol Inc., internal 1980-1986

Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains internal memoranda that Roger Boisjoly wrote while an engineer with Morton Thiokol Inc.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
Morton Thiokol, Inc.
carton 2

Subseries 3, Logbooks, SRM Seal Task Team, daily 1984-1986

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains originals and photocopies of daily logbooks that Boisjoly kept from 1984 to 1986 while on the SRM (solid rocket motor) Seal Task Team at Morton Thiokol Inc.
carton 4

Subseries 4, Class material, Space Shuttle Challenger and business ethics 1985-2003

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains a large amount of class and lecture material created by Roger Boisjoly for his various public lectures and classroom talks.
carton 3, carton 5

Subseries 5, Articles and lectures, Space Shuttle Challenger 1986-2009

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains a large number of articles and lectures written and given by Roger Boisjoly dealing with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and its aftermath as well as interviews given by Boisjoly to journalists and students. There is some overlap between this subseries and the class materials subseries.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
carton 6

Subseries 6, Transcripts, Boisjoly v. Morton Thiokol Inc. 1987-1988

Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)
Creator: Morton Thiokol, Inc.

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains the 1988 transcript from the Roger Boisjoly v. Morton Thiokol Inc. legal case, as well as several binders of legal information used as reference by Boisjoly.
carton 5

Subseries 7, Photographs, O-ring tests 1984-1985

Creator: Morton Thiokol, Inc.

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains a large number of photographs of quality control tests showing various amounts of problematic erosion on the type of O-rings that were used to build the solid rocket motors attached to the Space Shuttle Challenger.
carton 6

Subseries 8, Transcripts, Smith, et al. v. Morton Thiokol Inc. 1988

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains the 1988 transcripts of testimony given by several complainants in Smith, et al. v. Morton Thiokol Inc.
flat-box 7

Subseries 9, Clippings 1986-2012

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains a large number of clippings regarding Roger Boisjoly and the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Included is a clipping of Boisjoly's obituary from the Los Angeles Times, dated February 7, 2012.
carton 8

Subseries 10, Business, Boisjoly Engineering LTD 1987-2003

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains information about and business documents from Boisjoly Engineering LTD, a private consulting firm.
carton 3, carton 5, carton 8

Subseries 11, Papers and memorabilia, personal 1981-2006

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains papers and assorted material from Roger Boisjoly. Material includes news clippings, magazines, letters, speeches and copies of personal correspondence. Of particular interest are production notes and material for the 1990 movie Challenger and a framed American flag that was presented to Boisjoly by the 1981 crew of NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia.
Also included in this series is one folder of papers pertaining to Boisjoly's 1981 mayoral election campaign in Willard, UT.
 

Series 2, Audio/video and digital media 1986-2006

Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)

Arrangement

This series is organized by material type into three subseries:
  • Subseries 1, Radio interviews, 1987-1996
  • Subseries 2, Lectures, presentations and book floppy disks, 1988-2003
  • Subseries 3, Television broadcasts, 1986-2006

Scope and Contents

This series contains audio cassette tapes; VHS tapes; 1.44 MB floppy disks; and CDs and DVDs of Roger Boisjoly's lectures, interviews, and presentations on the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident
Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
carton 9

Subseries 1, Radio interviews 1987-1996

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains 15 audio cassette recordings of Roger Boisjoly's various radio station interviews.
  • "Roger Boisjoly on In Focus," air date 9/24/1989
  • "Quirks and Quarks," March 5, 1988
  • WRKO Boston, 12/14/1987
  • "NPR Talk of the Nation Science Friday, Challenger Remembered," 1/26/1996
  • "Roger Boisjoly Interview" WMUK (FM) Kalamazoo, Michigan, air date 3/2/1988
  • WRKO Talk Radio 68 Boisjoly
  • Professional Ethics, R. Boisjoly: "Blowing the Whistle," 1990
  • Cuthbert w/ SR Govt. Whistle Blowers 1 of 3 copies, date 6/25/1990
  • Rodger Boisjoly 1/26/1996 Claprood and Whitley AM 680 WRKO
  • UNM Visit, Talk Show with Kathy Grassel, Radio KUNM, air date 9/24/1987
  • Saturday #3 Owen Span Show interview, 2/23/1988
  • Shuttle Stories, aired on NPR, February 1986, January 1987
  • Boisjoly profile, "All Things Considered," aired on NPR, 4/16/1987
  • WJR radio 76 "Focus" w/ J.P. McCarthy; Roger Boisjoly, 1/28/1988
  • Phone messages, January 26-31
carton 9

Subseries 2, Lectures, presentations and book floppy disks 1988-2003

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains 50 DVDs and CDs of Roger Boisjoly's recorded lectures and presentations at various institutions, universities, and colleges. There are also 27 DVDs and CDs featuring Space Shuttle Challenger programs, test sequences, case studies, and launch videos that were recorded and used by Boisjoly for his lectures and presentations. Additionally included are 16 video recordings of the Presidential Commission Space Shuttle Challenger hearings. Lastly, this subseries also contains 7 Mac-formatted 1.44 floppy disks labeled "Challenger Book."
carton 9

Subseries 3, Television broadcasts 1986-2006

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains DVDs, CDs and VHS tapes of television shows and episodes pertaining to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. These programs often feature Roger Boisjoly appearing as a guest or speaker. There are 41 DVD or CD video recordings of television interviews, news footage, and television guest appearances; and 12 VHS tapes of interviews, test footage, television shows, and guest appearances.
flat-box 7

Series 3, Space Shuttle Challenger ephemera 1986-1994

Scope and Contents

This series contains a large number of Space Shuttle Challenger ephemera items, including several samples of O-ring material.
 

Series 4, Space Shuttle Challenger disaster reports 1986-1991

Arrangement

This series is organized by material type into four subseries:
  • Subseries 1, Report, Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, 1986
  • Subseries 2, Report, Space Shuttle Challenger Accident by Richard Cook, 1986
  • Subseries 3, Report, Boisjoly's testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight: NASA's Midlife Crisis: Context for Reform, 1991
  • Subseries 4, Report, Investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, 1986

Scope and Contents

This series contains Presidential Commission and congressional reports, as well as Richard Cook's report dealing with the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
carton 10, carton 11

Subseries 1, Report, Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident 1986

Related Materials

Online access to the 1986 Presidential Commission transcripts, including those from originally closed sessions on February 10, 13, and 14 and May 2, is available at https://history.nasa.gov/rogersrep/genindex.htm.

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains a copy of the five-volume Presidential Commission report supplied in 1986 to Boisjoly for his edits, which was never returned to the Commission. This subseries also includes Presidential hearing transcripts for February 14 and 25-27, March 21 and April 2, 1986.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident
carton 11

Subseries 2, Report, Space Shuttle Challenger Accident by Richard Cook 1986

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains Richard Cook's report on the Space Shuttle Challenger investigation.
carton 11

Subseries 3, Report, Boisjoly's testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight: NASA's Midlife Crisis: Context for Reform 1991

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains Boisjoly's hearing testimony from August 1, 1991 in front of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.
carton 10

Subseries 4, Report, Investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident 1986

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains the 1986 Investigation of the Challenger Accident report published by the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology.
flat-box 7

Series 5, Awards given to Roger Boisjoly 1987-1995

Scope and Contents

This series contains eight items that include plaques, honors, and certificates awarded to Roger Boisjoly.
  • National Academy of Forensic Engineers, Engineering Ethics Award, January 31, 1990
  • Utah Society of Professional Engineers: Engineer of the Year, 1994
  • Presidential Award of the National Space Society For Professional Integrity and Personal Courage, March 28, 1987
  • National Academy of Forensic Engineers Member Certificate (2), 1990-94, 1994-95
  • Certificate of Appreciation from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award, 1988
  • University of Lowell Alumni Association, Distinguished Alumni Award, 1987
  • The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., IEEE Citation of Honor, 1988
 

Series 6, Forensic engineering papers 1954-1995 1970s-1995

Arrangement

This series is organized by material type into eight subseries:
  • Subseries 1, Books, 1954-1974
  • Subseries 2, Papers, legal, 1986-1996
  • Subseries 3, Papers, professional, 1971-1995
  • Subseries 4, Papers, patent applications, 1964-1995
  • Subseries 5, Papers, safety, 1977-1993
  • Subseries 6, Photographs, circa 1990
  • Subseries 7, VHS tapes, 1987-1991
  • Subseries 8, Wooden dowel, circa 1990

Scope and Contents

This series contains text and media related to several of Roger Boisjoly's legal cases, including patents, reports, notes, drawings, videos, photographs, a tapered wooden dowel, and affidavits. Also included are five textbooks that Boisjoly gave to Gene K. Baxter, Ph.D., P.E., a colleague in the forensic consulting engineering business and a personal friend of Roger and Roberta Boisjoly.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Forensic engineering
Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)
carton 12

Subseries 1, Books 1954-1974

Creator: Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.)

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains five published textbooks, given by Boisjoly to Gene Baxter upon retirement. The titles are: Mechanical Design and Systems Handbook, Formulas for Stress and Strain, Thermal Stress and Low-Cycle Fatigue, Stress Strain and Strength, and Formulas for Stress and Strain.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Forensic engineering
carton 12

Subseries 2, Papers, legal 1986-1996

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains papers from several legal cases involving Roger Boisjoly, including Nunnallee v. Ford Motor Company and White v. Hotpoint, as well as cases involving an articulated ladder, a Ford van crash, a helicopter crash, and a hydro broom high pressure gun. Also included are papers relating to the National Academy of Forensic Engineers and general courtroom documents.
carton 13

Subseries 3, Papers, professional 1971-1995

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains notes and diagrams from several National Academy of Forensic Engineers workshops and seminars, It also includes documents relating to "range tipping," which was the subject of several patents included in Boisjoly's papers.
carton 12

Subseries 4, Papers, patent applications 1964-1995

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains several patent applications for an anti-tip mechanism meant to provide additional safety for freestanding kitchen appliances, such as stoves or dishwashers.
carton 13

Subseries 5, Papers, safety 1977-1993

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains safety handbooks, standards guidelines, and safety materials from American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and other producers.
carton 13

Subseries 6, Photographs circa 1990

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains photographs and negatives relating to some of Boisjoly's legal cases, including photographs of a Ford Aerostar model car accident, as well as hinges and brackets of a stove.
carton 12

Subseries 7, VHS tapes 1987-1991

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains five VHS tapes featuring footage of a Ford Aerostar car crash, the subject of a legal case in which Boisjoly was involved.
carton 12

Subseries 8, Wooden dowel circa 1990

Scope and Contents

Small wooden dowel, tapered at one end. Purpose is uncertain, but donor presumes it was used as a test device used for measurement or alignment.