Apollo 13: Successful Failure

“From this day forward, Flight Control will be known by two 'Tough' and 'Competent.' Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do. We will never again compromise our responsibilities. Every time we walk into Mission Control we will know what we stand for. Competent means we will never take anything for granted. We will never be found short in our knowledge and in our skills. Mission Control will be perfect. When you leave this meeting today you will go to your office and the first thing you will do there is to write 'Tough and Competent' on your blackboards. It will never be erased. Each day when you enter the room these words will remind you of the price paid by Grissom, White, and Chaffee. These words are the price of admission to the ranks of Mission Control." Gene Kranz; the Monday morning after the Apollo 1 disaster; flight director for Apollo 13.Every man-made disaster and catastrophe has at least six Cascade Events leading up to the final event, the catastrophe according to the Rule of Seven.This is a quick read of the Cascade Events that led to the problems of Apollo 13. It is a catastrophe that could have been. The mission was a failure, however it was considered a successful failure as three astronauts returned to earth no worse for wear..Bob examines the Rule of Seven, and how human error plays a role in many catastrophes. Nothing happens in isolation or as a result of a single event. Thus, by learning from history, we can gain insight into preventing a similar catastrophe in the future. Starting with a failure to comply with a change in voltage on a thermostat, to an oxygen tank being damaged in a drop, cascading with a failure to notice improper venting while testing, Apollo 13 is a classic example of “for want of a nail” the crew was almost lost. But ingenuity and intelligence turned a potential catastrophe into a “successful failure”.This is one of many catastrophes that Bob Mayer, former Green Beret, West Point Graduate and NY Times Bestselling Author, examines in his series of The Anatomy of a Catastrophe.