I BECAME A MEMBER of the Lunar Module Crew Systems Group at Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, in Bethpage, Long Island, in July 1966. During our weekly staff meeting, an engineer would occasionally identify a single point failure that could produce an event that neither the Lunar Module's (LM's) backup systems nor the astronauts could withstand and survive. These nightmare scenarios were met with stunned silence. After a discussion of all the ramifications, someone would say in a hushed voice, "OMIGOD, that really could happen!" We'd then form yet another team to develop a solution.
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