Summary

¶SUMMARY The success of the United States manned space-flight program has been, to a great extent, a direct result of the emphasis placed on safety by NASA management.

¶The reorganization of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (formerly the Manned Spacecraft Center) safety efforts after the Apollo spacecraft 204 fire was necessary for a concerted safety effort. All the relevant safety activities were coordinated through a single office and resulted in a strong, centralized approach to crew and mission safety. The establishment of a formal documented hazard analysis for each mission was effective in identifying significant hazards and assuring satisfactory resolution of hazards at an appropriate high level in the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center organization.

¶A safety program requires an adequate complement of qualified engineers, a free hand to conduct independent assessments, and the full support of top management.

¶With these ingredients, an effective safety program is assured.

¶The Manned Flight Awareness Program introduced early in the Apollo Program was a motivational program to achieve a high level of safety, reliability, and quality consciousness of all program participants. Its success was greatly enhanced by astronaut participation.