Engineering Ethics Essays Examples

List three facts in the case with respect to each of the following:

engineering design (include its impact on future missions and on the society)
The o-rings were experiencing with some extent of erosion. After the disaster, there o-rings were revamped and in future launches, 3 o-rings were used with improved technology. It is said that solid rocket boosters were not engineered properly that they were creating problems in joint rotation. It has a significant impact on future missions that now they are being designed in so meticulously and the very next launch after this disaster went successful for boosters. The insulating foam had been detached during liftoff but this aspect was not observed in future launch of many shuttles.
atmospheric (weather) conditions from the night before launch until the time of the disaster
The very first fact is related to the first delay in launch of shuttle since winds causing rain and cold was forecasted for that area on the night before launch. The second fact is related to second launch date which was pre-estimated to be in the low 20’s (°F). The third fact is related with disaster since till then atmospheric conditions remained same i.e. extremely low temperature which was not good for the launch of shuttle.

What professional responsibilities were neglected, if any?

Professionals neglected their responsibilities and hired engineers as the management of the space shuttle Challenger. Even engineers take oath in terms of ethical concerns to safeguard the interest of public but they forgot their oath and launched shuttle in adverse weather condition i.e. extremely cold.
Many engineers assume administrative/managerial positions during their careers. This was true in the case of NASA. Do you think that it was one of the factors that resulted in the disaster? What would you have differently if you were an engineer working in a management position? Explain (90-100 words)
Although shuttle had a technical issue with respect to o-rings yet, this issue can be well-managed if management would have played their role in a responsible manner. These o-rings can work well at less cool temperature but management did not waited for the favorable weather conditions. Engineering ethics taught me multiple solutions of same problem; I would have surely sorted out a different plan. Instead of expressing my loyalty with NASA, I must consider that the safety of public would harm and will either wait for favorable condition or for well-engineered circumstances.

Work Cited

Patricia, H. Werhane. Engineers and Management: The challenge of the challenger incident, Journal of Business Ethics. 1991. 10. 605-661.