The Challenger Disaster Page #6

I was supposed to take a hint. What is this, some kind of game to you?

No, but it was a nudge.

I heard about the O-ring via an astronaut friend of mine

who was tipped off, in secret, by a NASA engineer.

This astronaut's career has to be protected.

I had to let you get there on your own, Prof.

Prof. Don't Prof me, you don't play me, you don't screw around with me.

Listen to me and you'll understand why I'm telling you this.

I can't do anything with it! That's the point!

Don't ever tell me anything I can't open my mouth

and blab to the whole world!

I got to... I gotta get out of here.

Listen...

Richard...

No-one plays me. What is this, check six?

Remember, I told you that only you are independent on this commission.

Do others on the commission...

Do they know stuff?

Everyone knows some, or all,

but they're all bound. This is Washington.

What can be acknowledged, how, by whom...

You go drag me into this?

No, it's absolutely not, you're coming at it completely differently.

I told you, because I believe

that you, and only you, can use what you have,

you can use the science to cut through the bullshit,

to ensure that the real reason for those deaths gets out.

That it's made completely clear to the public.

NASA's forced to admit it, and has to reform.

I wish.

Why can't people just say things the way they are?

Cos it's politics, it's dirty, but you can, you can drive through that.

You can... What's the, what's the...

Can I have your arm, please?

What's going on?

No...

Not now. Not yet.

Let's get a medic. You get a medic right now. Yes, sir.

80-yard touchdown!

America is many things to many people.

To a 17-year-old kid, it's the malt shop on the corner,

to Grandpa, it's the front porch in the Blue Mountains.

To the mother and her family, it's church...

I'd Like to make it clear that all procedures were proper.

This is the same process that was used in 24 successful shuttle launches

as well as previous moon landings.

I know that... Bunch of crap.

...based on the data up to January 27,

right through the launch countdown until the lift-off,

all those actions were proper.

Do you believe you exercised good judgement on the evening

before the launch, regarding the temperature? Absolutely.

I thought I'd drop these to the cleaners in the morning.

"Use Ivory Soap. 99.4% pure. "

What? What did you say?

I was just, that old Ivory Soap ad.

"Use Ivory Soap, 99.4% pure. "

Forget about the cleaners,

I got, I got notes and stuff in the pockets, so...

You sure? Yeah.

Perhaps it's time to revisit the possibility

that the Shuttle was a victim of an act of sabotage or terrorism.

NASA will present at Wednesday's televised... Jeez!

...along with members from Morton Thiokol.

Both parties will detail...

Only 99.4%, you bastards!

...by the commission, is unclear

whether we will ever have answers as to what caused this disaster...

Gwen!

Gweneth!

What's the matter?

Papa, what's wrong? What?

I have to go back to Washington.

Michelle, go back to bed, go on.

Go on, back to bed, it's all right.

You need to be here.

You need to be taken care of.

We can't come to Washington with you. She has school.

She has no idea how seriously ill you are.

I have to.

People died.

It will happen again. If I don't, what have the weeks been for?

I mean, you're the one who persuaded me.

And you said it yourself -

let someone else do it.

You can't, you don't have to carry on now.

Nobody's got the right to ask that of you.

I'm the one asking me.

I'm the one asking.

OK.

OK.

I just wanted to have you to myself for as long as possible.

Honey, will you help me?

I got to get it all down.

My notes, everything I found out.

Got to be one hell of a paper.

The original tang and clevis seal design failed to anticipate

the enormous pressure, caused by the burning propellant,

would cause the walls to bow outward,

a phenomenon known as joint rotation.

OK? Swell. My blood is freshly laundered.

Dick, you know the affects of the dialysis are only temporary.

Life is pretty temporary.

You're listening to drive time on WTBX with Steve O'Brian.

Power one-o-three on WTBX.

We are definitely addicted to our ten-in-a-row power play for all

you folks in Washington, coming up next, Miami Sound Machine...

Dr Feynman, can you comment on the progress of the commission?

What's your take on the sabotage theory?

I'm not at liberty to speak.

The commission?

Through there, sir.

I'm sorry, sir. You can't go in there.

Who says so?

Not without a tie, sir.

Give me strength.

I'm sure this is going to look a lot more dainty.

Good evening, gentlemen.

My findings, developed, processed, distilled,

I've saved you the trouble of running them off

in case the copy machine's broken.

Hey, Bill. Will you do the honours? Sure.

It's all here. Hi, Neil. Would you?

Design flaws in the boosters.

Management failure.

A cold day. You OK?

I had the flu, but now it's flown.

Why don't you just take this chair?

Thank you.

And thank you.

For your fine, patient, methodical work over the last weeks.

It's been a difficult period.

Especially for Dr Feynman.

Welcome back, Doctor.

And Doctor, I'm sure that we'll want to include some of your new material

in our final report.

Please remember this is a very important hearing.

We're expecting a lot of press.

And it will be televised, so please do be prompt. Thank you.

Prof.

It's happening again, Rogers is going to bury my work.

Yeah, and I just got cornered outside by the press.

Me too.

I think they're ready to go with "unproven".

Yep, or a sniper on the grassy knoll.

I eat a lot of pickled beets.

General, I haven't a damned clue what we're going to do.

Despite what you may think, I am pleased to see you back.

General. Chairman.

We have a major difficulty.

The people who best understand the Shuttle are the people giving evidence

but they have the most to lose by explaining it clearly.

The public is simply mystified.

Somehow, we need to penetrate the fog.

Welcome back.

We know what Marshall's strategy's going to be.

Smokescreen. Manipulate the science.

Yeah, they'll make it into a fuzz dazzle.

That kills me.

I have to go.

You OK? I am fine.

Neil.

I've been meaning to ask you.

Yes, Richard.

This is for a friend. An admirer.

Right. Of course.

Thanks so much, Neil.

Sorry, embarrassing but...

Anything for you, Richard. Goodnight.

Take care of yourself.

You asked me for something, now I'm going to ask you for something.

No, you picked me up a couple of weeks ago.

Morning. Morning.

There's my end of the deal.

All right.

Here's what I need from you.

A hardware store.

A hardware store. Why would a super important person want...

Do you know a hardware store that opens early? I know a place.

Come on. Get out of bed.

The astronauts' families will be seeking clarity

on what precisely caused the deaths of their loved ones.

NASA witnesses will be answering those questions...

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