What ambitious annual flight goal, indicative of organizational pressure, did NASA aim to meet before the Challenger disaster?
Answer
24 missions per year
A core finding of the subsequent investigation pointed toward an appalling pattern of organizational decision-making where the schedule priority overrode safety concerns. Specifically, NASA was operating under the intense pressure to meet an ambitious flight schedule goal of 24 missions per year. This demanding pace strained available personnel and spare parts inventories, contributing to the overworking of technicians and suggesting that the entire program lacked sufficient resources to safely maintain such a rapid operational tempo while ensuring thorough maintenance and inspection protocols were followed.
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