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  Gemini 6A launch pad abort investigation

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Author Topic:   Gemini 6A launch pad abort investigation
Gordon Eliot Reade
Member

Posts: 65
From: Palo Alto, Calif.
Registered: Jun 2015

posted 12-12-2020 07:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gordon Eliot Reade   Click Here to Email Gordon Eliot Reade     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My first job out of college was working as an engineer in Palo Alto, California; a position I held for just over four years. One day my supervisor, I'll call him "Ed," came to my office to inform me that there was a series of layoffs taking place that day and that I was being let go. Ed could see that I was upset and being a generally nice guy he wanted to say something to make me feel a little better but I was unprepared for what came next.

Ed said, "Gordon I was never laid off however I was once fired and that was worse. In fact it was a very great deal worse. It was my responsibility to remove a dustcover from a Titan rocket engine. This was a very simple task, a task that anyone could've preformed. However I neglected to do so and as a result the rocket suffered an abort on the launch pad. Not only that but the lives of two astronauts atop the rocket were put in extreme risk. Thankfully no one was injured or killed but I felt terrible. However in time I got over it and moved on. I tell you this so that you'll know that you'll move on from this setback."

Later that evening I found myself thinking; Dang that was a really interesting story Ed told me but why'd he have to wait to the worst possible moment? If he'd brought it up at a better time I'd have loved to hear all about it.

I suppose I should've been mad that he just about killed Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra who are two of my favorite astronauts but I just couldn't bring myself to feel any anger. Anyway it was a heck of a way to get laid off.

Edit: Since posting I've been thinking a bit more about this. I have no doubt that Ed was fired but I can't believe that one person alone was responsible for the Gemini launch abort. There must have been a series of failures and many people who simply screwed up.

Considering that this was a near catastrophic event you'd assume NASA had some sort of investigation and instituted corrective action. Did that ever happen?

randy
Member

Posts: 2349
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 12-12-2020 08:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for randy   Click Here to Email randy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was looking through some information I have on Gemini and found the following, in the NASA Facts edition of the Gemini Program Summary. It says:
It was later determined that a small electric plug in the tail of the launch vehicle had dropped out prematurely, and that a plastic dust cover had obstructed the oxidizer inlet line of a gas generator. Either of these would have prevented liftoff.
That's the only information I could find on whatever investigation took place.

Gordon Eliot Reade
Member

Posts: 65
From: Palo Alto, Calif.
Registered: Jun 2015

posted 12-12-2020 09:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gordon Eliot Reade   Click Here to Email Gordon Eliot Reade     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Two separate and unrelated failures either one of which could've resulted in disaster doesn't inspire confidence.

Buel
Member

Posts: 718
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012

posted 12-13-2020 04:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Buel   Click Here to Email Buel     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Gordon Eliot Reade:
Dang that was a really interesting story Ed told me...
Damn interesting story!!!

Space Cadet Carl
Member

Posts: 251
From: Lake Orion, Michigan
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 12-15-2020 05:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Space Cadet Carl   Click Here to Email Space Cadet Carl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I remember watching it live. Launches had just begun being broadcast in color and I recall seeing all of that orange smoke... then nothing.

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