Truth, Lies, and O-Rings cover art

Truth, Lies, and O-Rings

Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

Preview
Free with 30-day trial
A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month after trial—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.

Truth, Lies, and O-Rings

By: Allan J. McDonald, James R. Hansen - contributor
Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
Free with 30-day trial

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $44.99

Buy Now for $44.99

About this listen

On a cold January morning in 1986, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Challenger, despite warnings against doing so by many individuals including Allan McDonald. The fiery destruction of Challenger on live television moments after launch remains an indelible image in the nation's collective memory.

In Truth, Lies, and O-Rings, McDonald, a skilled engineer and executive, relives the tragedy from where he stood at Launch Control Center. As he fought to draw attention to the real reasons behind the disaster, he was the only one targeted for retribution by both NASA and his employer, Morton Thiokol, Inc., makers of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters.

In this whistle-blowing yet rigorous and fair-minded book, McDonald, with the assistance of internationally distinguished aerospace historian James R. Hansen, addresses all of the factors that led to the accident, some of which were never included in NASA's Failure Team report submitted to the Presidential Commission.

Truth, Lies, and O-Rings is the first look at the Challenger tragedy and its aftermath from someone who was on the inside, recognized the potential disaster, and tried to prevent it. It also addresses the early warnings of very severe debris issues from the first two post-Challenger flights, which ultimately resulted in the loss of Columbia some 15 years later.

©2009 Allan J. McDonald (P)2018 Tantor
Aeronautics & Astronautics Americas Astronomy Astronomy & Space Science History History & Culture Science United States Technology
All stars
Most relevant  
This book is incredibly fascinating but be prepared for some very VERY detailed chapters on solid rocket boosters, after 26 hours I feel like I could join Allan and his team!

Become an expert in SRB's

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

A brilliant account of the politics/bureaucracy responsible for the loss of 14 Astronauts lives.

Allan J. McDonald is a true hero.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Could have been condensed into a few hours of technical background and human dynamic analysis. Disappointing.

Incredibly boring!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.