Because NASA administration is a presidential appointment, regular shuttle launches were essential to maintaining funding. Therefore, NASA officials and vendors were unwilling to discuss problems that may postpone a project (Ferraris & Carveth, 2003, p. 4). Indicators of groupthink, invulnerability and close-mindedness, were evident when NASA officials refused requests to get spy satellite photographs of the shuttle to verify damage to the foam insulation despite a precedent of foam insulation damage in previous shuttles. (Ferraris & Carveth, 2003, p. 6). Symptoms including pressure toward self-censorship, unanimity, discouragement of dissent were apparent when NASA engineer, Rodney Rocha, admitted that even though he “voiced urgent concerns … about the need to examine the wing”, he did not state his concerns in a meeting because he was “frightened for his job” (Schwartz, as cited by Ferraris & Carveth, 2003, p.
Because NASA administration is a presidential appointment, regular shuttle launches were essential to maintaining funding. Therefore, NASA officials and vendors were unwilling to discuss problems that may postpone a project (Ferraris & Carveth, 2003, p. 4). Indicators of groupthink, invulnerability and close-mindedness, were evident when NASA officials refused requests to get spy satellite photographs of the shuttle to verify damage to the foam insulation despite a precedent of foam insulation damage in previous shuttles. (Ferraris & Carveth, 2003, p. 6). Symptoms including pressure toward self-censorship, unanimity, discouragement of dissent were apparent when NASA engineer, Rodney Rocha, admitted that even though he “voiced urgent concerns … about the need to examine the wing”, he did not state his concerns in a meeting because he was “frightened for his job” (Schwartz, as cited by Ferraris & Carveth, 2003, p.