The Space Shuttle: A $200 Billion Lesson in Risk Management

Over its lifetime the shuttle carried out a more diverse range of missions than any other launch system in existence. It also resulted in the most studied disaster in history.
With the rise of private spaceflight, it has become 'fashionable' to look back on the Shuttle only for its shortcomings. It is too easy to forget how far ahead of its time the Shuttle was when it first launched, and what it gave back to us. Unfortunately, this risky technology also got ahead of NASA's ability to properly manage it.

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3D Modelling by Artem Tatarchenko:
  / artem.iskustvo  
   / @artem.kak.art.  

Sources:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4yrgqa...

Unless specified onscreen, all footage is sourced from NASA.

Playlist of some source videos here:
   • shuttle-sources  

Special mention to this collection of engineer-commentated engineering footage (largely filmed on 16 and 35mm film):
   • "Best of the Best" Provides New Views...  

00:00 Intro
03:45 Orbiter Requirements
09:55 RS-25. Beauty in Complexity
18:28 Solid Rocket Boosters...a suspiciously long chapter
45:41 Avionics. Innovation with well managed risk
51:54 Thermal Protection System. Innovation with poorly managed risk
01:05:38 Legacy