What factors in NASAs culture contributed to the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters? Using Scheins onion model of culture, is it possible to show how basic assumptions are linked to beliefs and values and then to potentially fateful behaviors?

MINI CASE

The first space shuttle flight occurred on February 18, 1977, with the launch of Enterprise. It was a proud day for NASA, and the beginning of a new age in space exploration. Less than 9 years later, on January 28, 1986, the nation was stunned when the space shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after launch. All seven crew members perished. The technical explanation for this disaster was the O-ring problem-a crucial shuttle component was compromised by the cold weather on that launch day.