Allan J. McDonald
contributorSafety, Investigation & Ethics
Morton Thiokol solid rocket motor project director who opposed launching Challenger in the forecast cold conditions and later helped lead booster-joint redesign work.
- Primary role
- Solid rocket motor engineer and flight-safety advocate
- Lifespan
- 1937–2021
- Relationships
- 3
- Sources
- 3
Biography
Place in spaceflight history
McDonald relayed engineering concerns, challenged the rationale for launching below the motor's qualification temperature, refused to endorse the launch recommendation, testified to the Rogers Commission, and participated in the return-to-flight booster redesign.
His documented objections and testimony preserved a technical record of the failed launch-decision process and reinforced the obligation to communicate engineering limits independently of schedule pressure.
Allan J. McDonald’s archive record spans Aerospace engineer, Solid Rocket Motor project director, Booster redesign leader through work connected with Morton Thiokol. The linked record places that work within Space Shuttle.
Career profile
Roles, organizations, and programs
Roles
- Aerospace engineer
- Solid Rocket Motor project director
- Booster redesign leader
Organizations
Programs
- Space Shuttle
Archive relationships
Named records, programs, and organizations connected to this archive identity.
Sources
Original references supporting this record. Each source opens on its publisher’s website.