Excerpts From Investigation Testimony

Here are excerpts from testimony Wednesday before the presidential commission investigating the Challenger explosion:

George Hardy, deputy director of science and engineering, Marshall Space Flight Center:

“Thiokol engineering concluded their (initial) presentation with a recommendation that the launch time be determined consistent with flight experience to date--that is, to launch with the O-ring temperatures at or greater than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Mr. (Joe) Kilminster (a key manager at Thiokol) stated that . . . with that engineering assessment, he recommended we not launch on Tuesday morning as scheduled.

“Mr. (Stan) Reinartz (shuttle project manager at Marshall Space Flight Center) . . . asked me for comments, and I stated I was somewhat appalled and that was referring specifically to some of the data or the interpretation of some of the data that Thiokol had presented. . . .

“Mr. (Allan J.) McDonald, the senior Thiokol representative at KSC (Kennedy Space Center) for this launch, suggested to Mr. Kilminster that he consider . . . that the secondary O-ring is in the proper position to seal if blow-by the primary O-ring occurred. I clearly interpreted this as a somewhat positive statement, supporting rationale for launch. Personally, I believe any other interpretation of that is a case of convenience of memory. . . . “

Stan Reinartz, shuttle project manager:

“They (NASA officials) had no knowledge of the internal Thiokol discussion during the 30-35 minute caucus that preceded their (final) launch recommendation. At that point, and to my knowledge, Mr. McDonald . . . as far as I know did not take that opportunity to inject any of his thoughts or concerns . . . into the internal Thiokol discussions that were going on during that caucus.

” . . . When I asked all the parties collectively if there were any disagreements with the final Thiokol recommendation that I received (from) Mr. Kilminster, there was no statement or comment from Mr. McDonald at that time. . . . “

Lawrence Mulloy, manager of the shuttle solid rocket booster program:

“Yesterday, in the testimony that was given before this commission . . . a picture has been painted of the events of Jan. 27 that I think, at best, may be misleading. It has been suggested, implied or stated that we directed Thiokol to go reconsider these data. That is not true.”

William P. Rogers, chairman of the commission, questioning Mulloy:

” . . . Could you perhaps recall just one of those comments . . . that you were quoted as saying: ‘Do you expect us to wait until April to launch?’ ”

Mulloy:

“It’s certainly a statement that is out of context, and the way I read the quote . . . was: ‘My God, Thiokol, when do you want me to launch, next April?’ . . . The total context I think in which those words may have been used is there are currently no launch commit criteria for joint temperature (on the boosters). What you are proposing do is to generate a new launch commit criteria on the eve of a launch after we have successfully flown with the existing launch commit criteria 24 previous times . . . It’s all in context.