Each time the space shuttle rises from its launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Fla., an Air Force officer waits anxiously for the first 2 minutes to pass safely. If the spaceship were to veer off course and endanger a populated area, this range safety officer would bear the terrible responsibility of flipping a pair of switches under a stenciled panel reading “Flight Termination.” The first switch arms explosives on the shuttle’s two solid rocket boosters. Flipping the second switch would detonate them, destroying the shuttle and crew.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4262479.html
I do remember the range safety officer had to detonate the SRBs on Challenger.
The story is scary enough, ...as I sit hear thinking about how I made two minor mistakes while having to advance 6 projects at once this week...the design of that panel is practically begging for a bad error. The Test switch and the Destruct switch should be obviously different. If nothing else move the Destruct switch further away. It should have a second cover on it or something.
Lesseeee - Arm ->Test oh, no! Not Safe->Destruct.
Just having your hands out of position.
Look at the key switch. Disable -Enable-Test. How about Disable-Test-Enable? ...Each progressively more serious.
Gawd, I hope those switches light up distinctly for each position.
I know, they train and train, call out procedures out loud...People have bad days.
http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/The_Big_Red_Button.aspx
Attachments
Last edited: