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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, August 28, 2003

EDITORIAL
Shuttle mission hurt by culture of silence

Has NASA learned anything in the 17 years since the space shuttle Challenger destructed on its way into space, killing seven astronauts? Apparently not, according to a scathing report looking into the Columbia explosion that killed six astronauts and a teacher returning to Earth in February.

In both cases, engineers had concerns and wouldn't, or felt they couldn't, speak up. At the Columbia's launch, insulation foam broke off, causing massive failure of the shuttle's left wing upon re-entry.

The report looking into the Columbia's demise says "Perhaps most striking is the fact that management ... displayed no interest in understanding a problem and its implications," and concludes that NASA's bureaucracy and culture are as much, if not more, to blame as technical problems.

And that should resonate with all government institutions, including those based in Hawai'i. Take the February 2001 sinking of the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel that was rammed by the Navy's USS Greeneville submarine during a rapid-surfacing maneuver.

Investigations into the collision that killed nine Japanese students and crew suggest politics and pressure contributed to the catastrophe.

For example, the sub fleet's chief of staff failed to question Greeneville Cmdr. Scott Waddle when he believed the sub was preparing to surface too quickly. He says he remained silent because "I was having a debate with myself that this is a professional (commanding officer) and crew and ... his team seems to be supporting him."

In other words, the collision arguably could have been prevented had those in charge done their jobs and erred on the side of caution instead of folding to the pressure of getting on with the mission.

The solution ought to be simple. When lives are at stake, the safety concerns of anyone, regardless of rank, must be heard. No one should be be intimidated into silence.