56. The Space Program (Challenger Disaster)
Added 2020-09-26 18:15:37 +0000 UTCThe organizational culture of the United States space program leads to one of the deadliest disasters in aeronautics history.
Prelude: Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov embarks on a doomed mission to space.
Thanks for being a ValuedListener™! :-)
Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at SwindledPodcast.com/Shop
Original music for Swindled is written and performed by Trevor Howard (Deformr).
Comments
I think you did an excellent job putting this together. I appreciate your many hours of research.
Diane Natale
2025-06-27 03:24:28 +0000 UTCI'm reading Adam Higgenbotham's book Challenger right now and realizing that I'm learning nothing new, except for background and details that couldn't fit into a one-hour podcast. I continue to be impressed by ACC's research and delivery. One of the only trusted sources left on this bitch of an Earth.
Jane S
2024-12-12 23:33:12 +0000 UTCMy favorite episode. I come back to it every so often.
Alison Ryland
2024-07-15 07:20:38 +0000 UTCBest episode. Recommending it to everyone.
Angelina Lucento
2020-12-31 18:34:21 +0000 UTCI've listened a couple times and get disgusted by the fact that alot these facts were not known. Smh
Sondra Escobedo
2020-10-07 22:06:33 +0000 UTCGreat episode, I never knew this and cannot believe the powers that be knew it and let it happen anyway. Usual disgusting human behavior. Thank you for informing me.
Claire Schofield
2020-10-01 18:09:35 +0000 UTCmade my stomach hurt! The fact that I never knew this is crazy
Saché Cox
2020-09-30 22:03:20 +0000 UTC"Censorship of and freedom from dissenting opinions is not included in your Patreon extras, Meghan." She says before going on to blast someone for not agreeing with her opinion. Wow! Maybe she didn't buy the ability to shut someone down but I'm pretty sure you also didn't purchase the Complete Hypocrite package! If nothing else THIS is certainly antagonizing nonsense that serves no purpose.
Breoni Hester
2020-09-30 04:21:20 +0000 UTCWould you kindly have an episode just titled, “Ronald Reagan?”
Austen Lockwood
2020-09-29 18:18:22 +0000 UTCI grew up in a town neighboring Webster, TX where the “Houston” base is located. My veteran grandfather and many of his veteran “homies” were HUGE supporters of NASA and the space program. One of them had family who worked there so I would get tons of photos, prints, shirts, and other stuff from him. So much so that I had a folder and drawer full of NASA. When this happened, we sat in silence and I saw a tear run down his face. He never gave me another piece of NASA anything. When the information started leaking about some of the truths, I threw it all in the garbage. Thank you for this. I found it to be so clear and informative. You are amazing at what you do.
Janet Marie
2020-09-29 17:02:38 +0000 UTCYour best work. Outstanding.
Ken Smith
2020-09-29 00:02:11 +0000 UTCCensorship of and freedom from dissenting opinions is not included in your Patreon extras, Meghan. While I'm sure you contribute a lot more than I, a disabled woman whose monthly income is only a bit more than the president paid in taxes last year, you have not purchased the privilege of shutting down someone you dislike. You didn't buy comfort. You made a donation. If you have a problem with that, I urge you to spend your money at a spa resort, where it's all about you, and what you want, and and what feels good to you. Otherwise, take your complaints about the way I speak, what I have to say, and your wild guesses about my motives to the manager -- privately. This isn't high school.
KatieK
2020-09-28 17:57:40 +0000 UTCIf you're insulted by this, I urge you to find something more pressing to get offended by.
Meghan Pastorino
2020-09-28 17:13:01 +0000 UTCI'm all for discussions but if people are going to come on here and get weird on a paid subscription for something please think before bringing antagonizing nonsense here. This world is enough as it is, do the comments on swindled patreon need to be like this?
Meghan Pastorino
2020-09-28 15:40:47 +0000 UTCAttention reporter in the clip in the first minute of the episode: Height IS a measurement of distance, you nincompoop.
Jonas
2020-09-28 12:56:38 +0000 UTCWhat a story! Put it together with Cautionary Tales podcast #4 “The Deadly Airship Race” to see some disturbing parallels in the systemic and institutional dynamics leading to both the airship and shuttle disasters.
Wilma
2020-09-28 12:40:57 +0000 UTCI acknowledged that you included details the documentary didn't. My deepest apologies for a poor choice of words and misremembering what seemed like a minor point. I certainly didn't intend to accuse you of plagiarism. Here's what it felt like to me, using language I hope is more acceptable: It felt disorganized. It felt disjointed. Yes, I do know a little about the disaster. I seem to be one of the few listeners who was alive when it happened. While I'd certainly never claim to be anything approaching an expert, I have more than a passing interest in accident investigation. Before I got sick, I worked in journalism. I trained in copy editing and proofreading. So I'm aware of the time commitment. I'm aware of the effort. My own background, as unimpressive as it is (nobody's paying me to talk, after all), allows me to appreciate your ability to keep each podcast so tight and focused. And it just didn't feel that way with this one. Rather than go into further detail, I will simply apologize if you feel I insulted you, your work, your work ethic, your research skills, or your knowledge of the subject. It wasn't my intention, and it was never personal.
KatieK
2020-09-28 05:03:53 +0000 UTCThis episode was eerie!! But one of my favs
Stephanie
2020-09-28 04:09:00 +0000 UTCAlso: “I once got a letter from NASA, asking if I would be willing to join a mission to orbit the Earth as Big Bird,” recalled Spinney in 2015, “to encourage kids to get interested in space.” In another interview, Spinney told the Chicago Sun-Times he was the first civilian asked to go up in the space shuttle. Doesn't sound like a joke to me.
Swindled
2020-09-28 04:04:30 +0000 UTCDoes it feel like that? Because I completed the research before the series was even announced and I wrote it before I watched it to avoid such accusations. Obviously, there's going to be some overlap, but I feel like I touched on aspects that the docuseries never even mentioned (i.e. the recovery). You're entitled to your opinion on what I should or should not have included in my podcast (obviously you're very knowledgable on the topic at hand), but after spending close to 80 hours on it, I don't appreciate you saying I "slapped it together".
Swindled
2020-09-28 04:03:47 +0000 UTCWith all due respect, ACC, it feels like you just watched the Netflix documentary, added some extra information, and slapped this together. It's not up to your usual high standards. Maybe I'm not as amazed and awestruck as everyone else because I've heard everything before, but I expect someone with your skill to do more than a surface-level exploration of the disaster. The O-ring explanation is overly simplistic. The culture at Morton Thiokol deserved considerably more attention. The Rogers report didn't go nearly far enough. Most crucially, the Challenger disaster -- and Columbia to an even greater extent -- are how everything came together to produce a result that was virtually inevitable -- not just a technical fault or a poor management culture, but a case study in system failure. Incidentally, Big Bird wasn't seriously considered a contender for a shuttle spot. I just watched the documentary today and it seemed like more of a joke than anything else.
KatieK
2020-09-28 03:29:49 +0000 UTCWho said it had to be perfect? Challenger: A Rush to Launch is, at 50 minutes long, far more comprehensive than a 4-part documentary.
KatieK
2020-09-28 02:53:34 +0000 UTCSound familiar? The podcast is basically a rehash of a disappointing documentary, though ACC manages to go into more detail in less than an hour than the doc does in over four. The same old simplistic O-ring failure is given as the proximate cause when the technical failure was far more complicated. The interviews with the families who have been largely ignored and individuals who previously wouldn't make themselves available are the only highlights.
KatieK
2020-09-27 21:05:53 +0000 UTCOutstanding, grim storytelling of this preventable, unforgettable tragedy. "...reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled." - a truth that authority increasingly undermines in this era of message manipulation.
Brian S
2020-09-27 20:59:09 +0000 UTCI knew it didn't but it still offers more than if you knew nothing about the fuck up for folks not willing to go too deep. ACC said the same in his tweet that this series didn't go as far as his episode. Nothing is usually perfect about these things.
Meghan Pastorino
2020-09-27 20:11:23 +0000 UTCThanks for this episode especially, ACC. A topic near to my heart.
Jo Mason
2020-09-27 16:34:37 +0000 UTCHoly shit, man. This is the best one yet. I’m floored. Thank you.
Claire Gysegem
2020-09-27 15:03:28 +0000 UTCThis was so tragic. The stomach knots kicked in for the prelude and didn't let up for the whole episode. As usual brilliantly researched and delivered, ACC. I strongly recommend AGAINST listening to this while eating dinner. Learn from my mistake, people!
Angie Mills
2020-09-27 09:01:50 +0000 UTCthis was a super scary episode. good for halloween vibes but very sad truth in history
Jah Siso
2020-09-27 02:21:02 +0000 UTCI'll be honest, the previous episode...wasn't bad, but a narcissistic conman was just a bit underwhelming after everyone else you introduced us to this season. But then you dropped this. Between the Russian prelude, the introduction to the doomed pilots, NASA's disgusting cover up of the manner of death, the unheeded warnings and the PTSD aftermath, this episode is worthy of being a season finale...and you apparently aren't done yet!
MBA
2020-09-27 00:47:25 +0000 UTCI was so sad listening to the clip of the engineer talking. I truly hope he found his peace. 😔
SalBee
2020-09-26 22:38:18 +0000 UTCUhhh wtf is with the lady that took the foot and where do I find more information about it because I’m not finding anything
Brendan Meeks
2020-09-26 22:38:07 +0000 UTCThis episode was hard in the same way Bhopal was...I think hearing the engineer bit really just hit something deep and sad in my heart...Im glad he got to find comfort before his death but I never want to hear someone say that about themselves again and I feel horrible for the people who still carry that guilt despite not orchestrating this mess.
Aria Feliciano
2020-09-26 22:04:21 +0000 UTCThanks! I’m watching now.
Sim Ona
2020-09-26 21:49:49 +0000 UTCThis was a very difficult episode to listen to. I was in high school watching the takeoff live when it exploded. So many strong emotions!! Thank you for this episode. I cried several times listening to it and the clip at the end...just wow!
Cheryl
2020-09-26 21:29:04 +0000 UTCYou've really outdone yourself. This story could have devolved into disaster porn, but you were able to tell the full story with dignity. I can't believe I only pay $10 per month for this. Increasing my donation now.
Jane S
2020-09-26 20:26:35 +0000 UTCOh man, that last clip. Great episode, thank you.
Nicole Daenzer
2020-09-26 19:42:43 +0000 UTCI have listened to all of the previous episodes of Swindled. This one was the most disturbing. There are too many defective people in this world and they are wiping out far too many of the decent ones.
Cindi A Ortiz
2020-09-26 19:39:25 +0000 UTCMan, this is so impressive Swindled! ❤
Caroline Cruz
2020-09-26 19:06:11 +0000 UTCI’m only halfway through but holy crap, this is one of your best in ages. I’m totally horrified/sucked in
Nana G
2020-09-26 18:46:17 +0000 UTCIt's a four part documentary series on the Challenger explosion. Includes other NASA workers and astronauts, victims families really interesting. I had no idea this was also a government fuck up.
Meghan Pastorino
2020-09-26 18:19:19 +0000 UTCWhich series is that?
Sim Ona
2020-09-26 18:18:06 +0000 UTCJust finished the Netflix series like an hour ago which I insisted on finishing before this was posted. Looking forward to this on my walk tomorrow!!
Meghan Pastorino
2020-09-26 18:17:10 +0000 UTC
