Done challenges 1 and 2

[cipher-tools.git] / 2019 / 8a.given.plaintext

harryiputtogetherateamofwomenfromthecomputingdivisionhereatkennedyandwehavespentmostofthelasteighteenmonthscombingthroughmissionfilesandcomputerprintoutslookingformorecluestothesourceoftheoxygentankexplosiononboardapolloxiiiandithinkwehavefinallyworkedoutwhathappenedthetankcontainingthesourceoftheexplosionwasoriginallyinstalledinapolloxbutremovedformodificationduringthatprocessitgotdroppedsoitwasheldbackforfurthertestsandareplacementfittedforthatflightonceithadpassedinspectionthetankwasreturnedtoserviceandearmarkedforodysseyfurtherupgradeswerecarriedouttoallowittorunoffgroundpowerduringfitoutattwicethespaceshipvoltageandthehigherpowerwasusedtoboiloffexcessoxygenduringgroundtestsunfortunatelyitlookslikethethermostaticswitchesinthetankwereoverlookedduringthevoltageupgradeandourbestguessisthattheyfusedclosedduringtheboiloffallowingthetemperaturetorisetooverathousanddegreesyoumightthinkthetestengineerswouldhavenoticedthatbutsincethetankoperatingtemperaturewassupposedtobesomewherewellbelowzerothedialonlywentasfaraspluseightysonoonewouldhavenoticedoperatingthatfaroutofnormalrangeitisamiraclethetanklastedaslongasitdidandthataddstotheimpressionthatthiswasasimpleaccidentachainofeventsthatcouldnothavebeenforeseenbutthecomputerfilestelladifferentstorywefoundtwoversionsoftheupgradereportwhichwaswrittentodetailtheproceduresformodifyingtheelectricalsystemonthetankthefirstgivesacomprehensivelistofthecablingswitchgearandcontrolsystemsthatneededtobehardenedforthegroundbasedvoltageitlistseverycriticalcomponentexceptthethermostaticvalvesthisdocumentwasfiledintheservicerecordsoweknowitwastheofficialrecordbutthechiefsystemsengineerwhosigneditoffsaysthesignatureonitisabadcopyofhisownwefoundidenticalcopiesinseveralmissionfilesbothinthemanufacturersrecordsandatkennedywheresomeofthetestswerecarriedoutsoitisclearthatthiswastheofficialversionusedintheupgradethesecondversionappearedtobethesamedocumentbutitincludedthethermostaticvalvesonthelistofcomponentstobechangedandthetemperaturegaugelimitswerecircledseveraltimeswithanexclamationmarknexttotheeightydegreeceilingitlookslikeoursaboteurdeliberatelyarrangedforthetanktobemisconfiguredinanefforttocausetroubleforthemissionalthoughwecantbesuretheyrealisedhowdangerousthiswaswhenweputittogetherwithalltheotheraccidentsitisprettyclearthiswasanotherdeliberateattackontheprogramwefoundthesecondversionofthereportinaboxunderthefloorboardsinmikesplaceisupposeitispossiblethatmikehadstumbledacrossthedocumenthimselfandwasinvestigatingitaspartofhiscampaigntoprovethattherussianswerebehindthisstringofproblemsbutattheveryleastheisguiltyofamajormisjudgementandiftheastronautshaddiedhewouldhavebeentriedformanslaughterasitistogetherwiththeleakchargeshewillbegoingtoprisonforaverylongtimeofcoursetheevidenceisstilllargelycircumstantialwecandefinitelytiehimtotheleaktothenewspaperforensicsmatchedthetypewriterribbonandtypecharacteristicsonhistypewriterwiththeinkandimpressionsonthelettertotheeditorbutwestillcannotshowconclusivelythathedirectedorcarriedoutanyofthesabotageattemptsandwehavenotbeenabletofindanyoneelsewhohadbothmotiveandopportunitysoheisourbestsuspectiamnotsurewecanentirelyrelaxbutwithnosignificantincidentsonapolloxivtoxviandwithmikeincustodyifeelslightlylessworriedabouttheremainingapolloflightwearestilltryingtocrackthatotherenciphereddocumentwefoundinmikesplaceithasaverystrangealphabetwhichithinkmustbesignificantbuticantquiteseehowtobreakityetnowthatthenasacomputingexpertshavemoretimeiamhopingthatweshouldbeabletodecipheritandthatitwillshedsomemorelightonmikesthinkingmoreimportantlyitmighttelluswhatelseifanythinghehadplannedmeg