Done 2021 challenge 6
[cipher-challenge.git] / 2019 / 8a.given.plaintext
1 harryiputtogetherateamofwomenfromthecomputingdivisionhereatkennedyandwehavespentmostofthelasteighteenmonthscombingthroughmissionfilesandcomputerprintoutslookingformorecluestothesourceoftheoxygentankexplosiononboardapolloxiiiandithinkwehavefinallyworkedoutwhathappenedthetankcontainingthesourceoftheexplosionwasoriginallyinstalledinapolloxbutremovedformodificationduringthatprocessitgotdroppedsoitwasheldbackforfurthertestsandareplacementfittedforthatflightonceithadpassedinspectionthetankwasreturnedtoserviceandearmarkedforodysseyfurtherupgradeswerecarriedouttoallowittorunoffgroundpowerduringfitoutattwicethespaceshipvoltageandthehigherpowerwasusedtoboiloffexcessoxygenduringgroundtestsunfortunatelyitlookslikethethermostaticswitchesinthetankwereoverlookedduringthevoltageupgradeandourbestguessisthattheyfusedclosedduringtheboiloffallowingthetemperaturetorisetooverathousanddegreesyoumightthinkthetestengineerswouldhavenoticedthatbutsincethetankoperatingtemperaturewassupposedtobesomewherewellbelowzerothedialonlywentasfaraspluseightysonoonewouldhavenoticedoperatingthatfaroutofnormalrangeitisamiraclethetanklastedaslongasitdidandthataddstotheimpressionthatthiswasasimpleaccidentachainofeventsthatcouldnothavebeenforeseenbutthecomputerfilestelladifferentstorywefoundtwoversionsoftheupgradereportwhichwaswrittentodetailtheproceduresformodifyingtheelectricalsystemonthetankthefirstgivesacomprehensivelistofthecablingswitchgearandcontrolsystemsthatneededtobehardenedforthegroundbasedvoltageitlistseverycriticalcomponentexceptthethermostaticvalvesthisdocumentwasfiledintheservicerecordsoweknowitwastheofficialrecordbutthechiefsystemsengineerwhosigneditoffsaysthesignatureonitisabadcopyofhisownwefoundidenticalcopiesinseveralmissionfilesbothinthemanufacturersrecordsandatkennedywheresomeofthetestswerecarriedoutsoitisclearthatthiswastheofficialversionusedintheupgradethesecondversionappearedtobethesamedocumentbutitincludedthethermostaticvalvesonthelistofcomponentstobechangedandthetemperaturegaugelimitswerecircledseveraltimeswithanexclamationmarknexttotheeightydegreeceilingitlookslikeoursaboteurdeliberatelyarrangedforthetanktobemisconfiguredinanefforttocausetroubleforthemissionalthoughwecantbesuretheyrealisedhowdangerousthiswaswhenweputittogetherwithalltheotheraccidentsitisprettyclearthiswasanotherdeliberateattackontheprogramwefoundthesecondversionofthereportinaboxunderthefloorboardsinmikesplaceisupposeitispossiblethatmikehadstumbledacrossthedocumenthimselfandwasinvestigatingitaspartofhiscampaigntoprovethattherussianswerebehindthisstringofproblemsbutattheveryleastheisguiltyofamajormisjudgementandiftheastronautshaddiedhewouldhavebeentriedformanslaughterasitistogetherwiththeleakchargeshewillbegoingtoprisonforaverylongtimeofcoursetheevidenceisstilllargelycircumstantialwecandefinitelytiehimtotheleaktothenewspaperforensicsmatchedthetypewriterribbonandtypecharacteristicsonhistypewriterwiththeinkandimpressionsonthelettertotheeditorbutwestillcannotshowconclusivelythathedirectedorcarriedoutanyofthesabotageattemptsandwehavenotbeenabletofindanyoneelsewhohadbothmotiveandopportunitysoheisourbestsuspectiamnotsurewecanentirelyrelaxbutwithnosignificantincidentsonapolloxivtoxviandwithmikeincustodyifeelslightlylessworriedabouttheremainingapolloflightwearestilltryingtocrackthatotherenciphereddocumentwefoundinmikesplaceithasaverystrangealphabetwhichithinkmustbesignificantbuticantquiteseehowtobreakityetnowthatthenasacomputingexpertshavemoretimeiamhopingthatweshouldbeabletodecipheritandthatitwillshedsomemorelightonmikesthinkingmoreimportantlyitmighttelluswhatelseifanythinghehadplannedmeg