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Maier, Mark (NASA Challenger disaster collection)
2010.002.r
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Leatherby Libraries
Title: Mark Maier NASA Challenger disaster collection
source:
Maier, Mark (John Marcus)
Identifier/Call Number: 2010.002.r
Physical Description:
6.5 Linear Feet
(5 cartons, 1 document box, 1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): 1985-2006
Date: 1986
Abstract: This collection consists of a number of videotapes, objects, and some original and photocopied textual materials collected
by Dr. Mark Maier that deal with the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and its aftermath.
Physical Location: Leatherby Libraries
Language of Material:
English
.
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mark Maier, Ph.D., in January 2010 and October 2019. Dr. Maier is Associate Professor in the Atallah College of Educational
Studies at Chapman University.
This collection is arranged by material type into six series:
- Series 1, Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, 1986
- Series 2, Space Shuttle Challenger disaster videos, 1985-2006
- Series 3, Roger Boisjoly interviews, articles, and photo, 1986-1989
- Series 4, Richard Cook interviews, articles, and photo, 1986-1991
- Series 5, Mark Maier Space Shuttle Challenger disaster papers, 1987-2003
- Series 6, Space Shuttle Challenger ephemera, 1986-1991
The NASA 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. Disintegration of the entire vehicle began after an O-ring seal in
its right solid rocket booster failed at liftoff. The disaster resulted in the formation of the "Presidential Commission on
the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident," also known as the Rogers Commission. This was a special commission appointed by United
States President Ronald Reagan to investigate the accident. The Rogers Commission found that NASA's organizational culture
and decision-making processes had been a key contributing factor to the accident. NASA managers had known that contractor
Morton Thiokol, Inc.'s (MTI) design of the solid rocket boosters contained a potentially catastrophic flaw in the O-rings,
but they failed to address it properly. They also disregarded warnings from engineers about the dangers of launching posed
by the low temperatures of that morning.
Roger Boisjoly, an engineer who worked for MTI raised objections to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. In July 1985,
Boisjoly wrote a memo to his superiors concerning the faulty design of the solid rocket boosters that, if left unaddressed,
could lead to a catastrophic event, which was apparently ignored. Following the announcement that the Space Shuttle Challenger
mission was confirmed for January 28, 1986, Boisjoly and his colleagues tried to stop the flight. Temperatures were due to
be −1 °C overnight. He felt that this would severely compromise the safety of the O-Ring. Boisjoly was one of the witnesses
called during the Presidential Commission hearings. He gave accounts of how and why he felt the O-Rings had failed. Boisjoly
later became a speaker on workplace ethics.
Richard C. Cook was a Resource Analyst at NASA's Comptroller's Office. NASA officials ignored a memo Cook wrote which detailed
engineering concerns and warnings from the Space Shuttle builders at MTI regarding a flaw in the SRB O-rings. In 2007, his
memoirs of the tragedy were published in a book entitled,
Challenger Revealed: An Insider's Account of How the Reagan Administration Caused the Greatest Tragedy of the Space Age.
Dr. Mark Maier is an Associate Professor in Chapman University's Attallah College of Educational Studies and founding chair
of its Leadership Studies Program. He is also director of the Chapman Leadership Project and director of the Chapman Human
Diversity Program. His areas of expertise include: servant leadership, building an inclusive culture in organizations, ethical
leadership, ethics, communication, personality type and organizational effectiveness.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Mark Maier NASA Challenger disaster collection (2010.002.r)], 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.
Processed by Jenny Esteron in 2010 and later updated by Rand Boyd and Wendy Gonaver. Last updated by Victoria Perez as of
October 2023.
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. Specifically, this resource refers to a spacecraft as the "Space Shuttle Challenger" in roman
text, with the exception of retaining the collection's original title.
Researchers will also find of interest this repository's Roger and Roberta Boisjoly NASA Challenger disaster collection (2010.017.r)
and the Linda and Allan J. McDonald NASA Challenger disaster archives (2016.002.s.r) that contain Roger and Allan's personal
and engineering papers, as well as extensive material on the Space Shuttle Challenger investigation.
This collection contains original and photocopied materials spanning from 1985 to 2006. These include videos, images, and
transcripts regarding the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. A/V materials include NASA footage and programs on the Space
Shuttle Challenger accident. There are videos of the Presidential Commission hearings from February 25 to February 27, 1986,
as well as transcripts from the Presidential Commission Report. Videotaped lectures by and interviews with Roger Boisjoly
on workplace ethics are also included.
Other materials are interview transcripts of and articles by Richard Cook, posters with various Space Shuttle Challenger images,
a Florida license plate, and papers from Dr. Mark Maier regarding the disaster. A noteworthy item is an O-Ring sample.
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.
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.
Chapman University. "Faculty Profile: Dr. Mark Maier." Accessed September 14, 2023. https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/mark-maier.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Challenger (Spacecraft) -- Accidents
Chapman University -- Faculty papers
Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident
Boisjoly, R. M. (Roger M.) -- History
Cook, Richard C.
Maier, Mark (John Marcus)