Analysis and modelling of Space Shuttle Challanger Accident using Management Oversight and Risk Tree (MORT)

This paper presents the results of the desk-stop study to model and analyse the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident using Management Oversight and Risk Tree as a part of the SIRI Methodology. The study uses the NASA Summary Report of the Presidential Commission Investigations on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident as an input document [8]. The aim of the case study is to learn all causal factors in producing the accident. It is assumed that popular explanations of the accident suffer from errors either blaming the launch decision or the behaviour of managers during the pre-launch decision making activity. Utility of the case study is in learning all the causal factors of the given effect, the Space Challenger Accident, which occurred on 28th January 1986 using the doctrine of causation (cause-effect reasoning) as the guiding principle [8],[12],[14],[17].