Done challenge 8

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

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+harryiputtogetherateamofwomenfromthecomputingdivisionhereatkennedyandwehavespentmostofthelasteighteenmonthscombingthroughmissionfilesandcomputerprintoutslookingformorecluestothesourceoftheoxygentankexplosiononboardapolloxiiiandithinkwehavefinallyworkedoutwhathappenedthetankcontainingthesourceoftheexplosionwasoriginallyinstalledinapolloxbutremovedformodificationduringthatprocessitgotdroppedsoitwasheldbackforfurthertestsandareplacementfittedforthatflightonceithadpassedinspectionthetankwasreturnedtoserviceandearmarkedforodysseyfurtherupgradeswerecarriedouttoallowittorunoffgroundpowerduringfitoutattwicethespaceshipvoltageandthehigherpowerwasusedtoboiloffexcessoxygenduringgroundtestsunfortunatelyitlookslikethethermostaticswitchesinthetankwereoverlookedduringthevoltageupgradeandourbestguessisthattheyfusedclosedduringtheboiloffallowingthetemperaturetorisetooverathousanddegreesyoumightthinkthetestengineerswouldhavenoticedthatbutsincethetankoperatingtemperaturewassupposedtobesomewherewellbelowzerothedialonlywentasfaraspluseightysonoonewouldhavenoticedoperatingthatfaroutofnormalrangeitisamiraclethetanklastedaslongasitdidandthataddstotheimpressionthatthiswasasimpleaccidentachainofeventsthatcouldnothavebeenforeseenbutthecomputerfilestelladifferentstorywefoundtwoversionsoftheupgradereportwhichwaswrittentodetailtheproceduresformodifyingtheelectricalsystemonthetankthefirstgivesacomprehensivelistofthecablingswitchgearandcontrolsystemsthatneededtobehardenedforthegroundbasedvoltageitlistseverycriticalcomponentexceptthethermostaticvalvesthisdocumentwasfiledintheservicerecordsoweknowitwastheofficialrecordbutthechiefsystemsengineerwhosigneditoffsaysthesignatureonitisabadcopyofhisownwefoundidenticalcopiesinseveralmissionfilesbothinthemanufacturersrecordsandatkennedywheresomeofthetestswerecarriedoutsoitisclearthatthiswastheofficialversionusedintheupgradethesecondversionappearedtobethesamedocumentbutitincludedthethermostaticvalvesonthelistofcomponentstobechangedandthetemperaturegaugelimitswerecircledseveraltimeswithanexclamationmarknexttotheeightydegreeceilingitlookslikeoursaboteurdeliberatelyarrangedforthetanktobemisconfiguredinanefforttocausetroubleforthemissionalthoughwecantbesuretheyrealisedhowdangerousthiswaswhenweputittogetherwithalltheotheraccidentsitisprettyclearthiswasanotherdeliberateattackontheprogramwefoundthesecondversionofthereportinaboxunderthefloorboardsinmikesplaceisupposeitispossiblethatmikehadstumbledacrossthedocumenthimselfandwasinvestigatingitaspartofhiscampaigntoprovethattherussianswerebehindthisstringofproblemsbutattheveryleastheisguiltyofamajormisjudgementandiftheastronautshaddiedhewouldhavebeentriedformanslaughterasitistogetherwiththeleakchargeshewillbegoingtoprisonforaverylongtimeofcoursetheevidenceisstilllargelycircumstantialwecandefinitelytiehimtotheleaktothenewspaperforensicsmatchedthetypewriterribbonandtypecharacteristicsonhistypewriterwiththeinkandimpressionsonthelettertotheeditorbutwestillcannotshowconclusivelythathedirectedorcarriedoutanyofthesabotageattemptsandwehavenotbeenabletofindanyoneelsewhohadbothmotiveandopportunitysoheisourbestsuspectiamnotsurewecanentirelyrelaxbutwithnosignificantincidentsonapolloxivtoxviandwithmikeincustodyifeelslightlylessworriedabouttheremainingapolloflightwearestilltryingtocrackthatotherenciphereddocumentwefoundinmikesplaceithasaverystrangealphabetwhichithinkmustbesignificantbuticantquiteseehowtobreakityetnowthatthenasacomputingexpertshavemoretimeiamhopingthatweshouldbeabletodecipheritandthatitwillshedsomemorelightonmikesthinkingmoreimportantlyitmighttelluswhatelseifanythinghehadplannedmeg