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It's November 1982 inside the Utah headquarters of Thiacol, the company responsible for manufacturing the rocket boosters for NASA's space shuttle program.

NASA project manager Larry Malloy squeezes his bulky frame past the glass door of a large

conference room that's already full of Thiakol managers and engineers.

Malloy is 48 years old and built like an NFL linebacker. He can be charming, but also intimidating,

and in his 20-plus years at NASA, he's developed a reputation for getting things done.

Now he's been tasked with managing the shuttle's solid rocket booster program, so he's trying

to get up to speed quickly.

Molloy is especially interested in the O-rings that sit on the joints between the various

sections of the boosters.

While preparing for this visit, he came across a report indicating that one of the O-rings

recovered from the last shuttle launch showed significant signs of burn damage. While the O-rings

are a relatively simple component, they are critically important. If they were to fail during launch,

burning fuel could leak from the booster and set off an explosion that could destroy the entire shuttle.

So Malloy is eager to learn exactly how and why the burn damage occurred and whether this is the kind of problem that could delay the next launch of the space shuttle Columbia, which is only just days away.

Molloy takes his seat at the table and pulls a yellow legal pad from his briefcase.

He begins scribbling down notes as Thiacall's manager in charge of the boosters kicks off the meeting.

...