1 harryiputtogetherateamofwomenfromthecomputingdivisionhereatkennedyandwehavespentmostofthelasteighteenmonthscombingthroughmissionfilesandcomputerprintoutslookingformorecluestothesourceoftheoxygentankexplosiononboardapolloxiiiandithinkwehavefinallyworkedoutwhathappenedthetankcontainingthesourceoftheexplosionwasoriginallyinstalledinapolloxbutremovedformodificationduringthatprocessitgotdroppedsoitwasheldbackforfurthertestsandareplacementfittedforthatflightonceithadpassedinspectionthetankwasreturnedtoserviceandearmarkedforodysseyfurtherupgradeswerecarriedouttoallowittorunoffgroundpowerduringfitoutattwicethespaceshipvoltageandthehigherpowerwasusedtoboiloffexcessoxygenduringgroundtestsunfortunatelyitlookslikethethermostaticswitchesinthetankwereoverlookedduringthevoltageupgradeandourbestguessisthattheyfusedclosedduringtheboiloffallowingthetemperaturetorisetooverathousanddegreesyoumightthinkthetestengineerswouldhavenoticedthatbutsincethetankoperatingtemperaturewassupposedtobesomewherewellbelowzerothedialonlywentasfaraspluseightysonoonewouldhavenoticedoperatingthatfaroutofnormalrangeitisamiraclethetanklastedaslongasitdidandthataddstotheimpressionthatthiswasasimpleaccidentachainofeventsthatcouldnothavebeenforeseenbutthecomputerfilestelladifferentstorywefoundtwoversionsoftheupgradereportwhichwaswrittentodetailtheproceduresformodifyingtheelectricalsystemonthetankthefirstgivesacomprehensivelistofthecablingswitchgearandcontrolsystemsthatneededtobehardenedforthegroundbasedvoltageitlistseverycriticalcomponentexceptthethermostaticvalvesthisdocumentwasfiledintheservicerecordsoweknowitwastheofficialrecordbutthechiefsystemsengineerwhosigneditoffsaysthesignatureonitisabadcopyofhisownwefoundidenticalcopiesinseveralmissionfilesbothinthemanufacturersrecordsandatkennedywheresomeofthetestswerecarriedoutsoitisclearthatthiswastheofficialversionusedintheupgradethesecondversionappearedtobethesamedocumentbutitincludedthethermostaticvalvesonthelistofcomponentstobechangedandthetemperaturegaugelimitswerecircledseveraltimeswithanexclamationmarknexttotheeightydegreeceilingitlookslikeoursaboteurdeliberatelyarrangedforthetanktobemisconfiguredinanefforttocausetroubleforthemissionalthoughwecantbesuretheyrealisedhowdangerousthiswaswhenweputittogetherwithalltheotheraccidentsitisprettyclearthiswasanotherdeliberateattackontheprogramwefoundthesecondversionofthereportinaboxunderthefloorboardsinmikesplaceisupposeitispossiblethatmikehadstumbledacrossthedocumenthimselfandwasinvestigatingitaspartofhiscampaigntoprovethattherussianswerebehindthisstringofproblemsbutattheveryleastheisguiltyofamajormisjudgementandiftheastronautshaddiedhewouldhavebeentriedformanslaughterasitistogetherwiththeleakchargeshewillbegoingtoprisonforaverylongtimeofcoursetheevidenceisstilllargelycircumstantialwecandefinitelytiehimtotheleaktothenewspaperforensicsmatchedthetypewriterribbonandtypecharacteristicsonhistypewriterwiththeinkandimpressionsonthelettertotheeditorbutwestillcannotshowconclusivelythathedirectedorcarriedoutanyofthesabotageattemptsandwehavenotbeenabletofindanyoneelsewhohadbothmotiveandopportunitysoheisourbestsuspectiamnotsurewecanentirelyrelaxbutwithnosignificantincidentsonapolloxivtoxviandwithmikeincustodyifeelslightlylessworriedabouttheremainingapolloflightwearestilltryingtocrackthatotherenciphereddocumentwefoundinmikesplaceithasaverystrangealphabetwhichithinkmustbesignificantbuticantquiteseehowtobreakityetnowthatthenasacomputingexpertshavemoretimeiamhopingthatweshouldbeabletodecipheritandthatitwillshedsomemorelightonmikesthinkingmoreimportantlyitmighttelluswhatelseifanythinghehadplannedmeg
projects / cipher-challenge.git / blob