NASA is pretending to be KSP now:

[windows_x_seven]

Kerbals do exist, guys. They're amongst us.

[Guest]

Humor of shuttle era.

[Aethon]

Well there are many things to get right pre launch that people may overlook. Best try to nip it in the bud early. This Russian Proton had it's yaw control guidance package put in upside down, despite the big red arrows showing the correct orientation. I read it alleged somewhere that the technician used a hammer to "make it fit".

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/07/parts-installed-upside-down-caused-last-weeks-russian-rocket-to-explode/

[livefree75]

Good thing it wasn't manned

[Captain Sierra]

-snip-

Thats a fantastic explosion.

[StrandedonEarth]

There have been so many mistakes in the Russian space program lately that I suspect sabotage.

As for the "Black side down" humor, I've heard that Army surgeons will routinely write "not this knee" or something similar on a patient's knee so they don't operate on the wrong knee (or other body part). Try that with a civilian doctor and they will probably be insulted.

[magnemoe]

There have been so many mistakes in the Russian space program lately that I suspect sabotage.

As for the "Black side down" humor, I've heard that Army surgeons will routinely write "not this knee" or something similar on a patient's knee so they don't operate on the wrong knee (or other body part). Try that with a civilian doctor and they will probably be insulted.

The army procedure is probably smart in an situation where you have lots of wounded at once like in war or catastrophes, here you probably have one doctor finding out that is the main problem and other doctors operating multiple patients in a row without leaving the operation room.

[KerrMü]

I´m getting a "don´t step on the grass"-moment from that.

[Jason Patterson]

Well there are many things to get right pre launch that people may overlook. Best try to nip it in the bud early. This Russian Proton had it's yaw control guidance package put in upside down, despite the big red arrows showing the correct orientation. I read it alleged somewhere that the technician used a hammer to "make it fit".

My mind instantly went to the xkcd comic. They had a bad problem and did not go to space today.

[dryer_lint]

Attach Fantastic Explosion Here

I was halfway through the video before I realized what rocket that was. For some reason the only video I ever saw was that one from a distance, this one looks more official though. And it's HD, thanks!

[Technical Ben]

There have been so many mistakes in the Russian space program lately that I suspect sabotage.

As for the "Black side down" humor, I've heard that Army surgeons will routinely write "not this knee" or something similar on a patient's knee so they don't operate on the wrong knee (or other body part). Try that with a civilian doctor and they will probably be insulted.

Let's just say that it's happened at least once in general practice. So I'd possibly write it on myself should I ever got for an op! (Also remember a few instances where "reconstruction surgery" and "removal surgery" got swapped on the patients forms in error. )

[Stargate525]

As for the "Black side down" humor, I've heard that Army surgeons will routinely write "not this knee" or something similar on a patient's knee so they don't operate on the wrong knee (or other body part). Try that with a civilian doctor and they will probably be insulted.

As a patient of reconstructive ankle surgery, I can attest that hospitals actually do this.

[numerobis]

As a patient of reconstructive ankle surgery, I can attest that hospitals actually do this.

Oh good. Surgeons were indeed insulted when the practice started, but I'm glad they lost.

[RAINCRAFTER]

Well there are many things to get right pre launch that people may overlook. Best try to nip it in the bud early. This Russian Proton had it's yaw control guidance package put in upside down, despite the big red arrows showing the correct orientation. I read it alleged somewhere that the technician used a hammer to "make it fit".

Someone please make 1:34 to 1:39 a animated gif file for me. I'm *almost* not kidding.

[numerobis]

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/07/parts-installed-upside-down-caused-last-weeks-russian-rocket-to-explode/

I hadn't seen the full video before. You can see the rocket struggling to "right" itself immediately at the start already, then it just slowly gets worse.

I've had rockets do almost exactly that with SAS or MechJeb in control and a gimballing engine ahead of the center of mass. The results were roughly the same too.

[DivisionByZero]

As a patient of reconstructive ankle surgery, I can attest that hospitals actually do this.

My sister is a doctor and whenever she was around for my *other* sister's surgeries (she's had a few), she'd put a big sharpie X and write "NO" on the knee that was ok.

My own surgeon made a note on my foot before my own ankle surgery. I think they do it a lot of places.

[mudkest]

My mind instantly went to the xkcd comic. They had a bad problem and did not go to space today.

If you are going to link XKCD here

[I_Killed_Jeb]

There have been so many mistakes in the Russian space program lately that I suspect sabotage.

As for the "Black side down" humor, I've heard that Army surgeons will routinely write "not this knee" or something similar on a patient's knee so they don't operate on the wrong knee (or other body part). Try that with a civilian doctor and they will probably be insulted.

That's actually very routine at all hospitals

[merendel]

Oh good. Surgeons were indeed insulted when the practice started, but I'm glad they lost.

When my father had cateract removal surgury I know they marked on his forhead which eye they were soposed to be working on. Even the best surgeon in the world can make mistakes. A little wounded pride over having a blatant reminder of what your working on is a small price vs doing the wrong procedure on a patient. Much better to double and triple check before that first cut is made.

That rocket breakup video was cool though. I've seen that kind of aerodynamic failure when playing with FAR more often than I'd like to admit.

[Pecan]

In defence of surgeons: they often have little idea of who/what is being wheeled-in next, despite what the schedule says, because of all the 'things' happening outside the theatre.

It is also worth noting that several KSP players pretend to work at NASA - for a given value of 'pretend to work' :-)

(Hehe, there was a thread a while ago where first person said "you don't know what NASA does" (or words to that effect), second person said "Nor do you" and the first person posted a picture of their NASA id-card. It's even possible - although unlikely - that I know what I'm talking about sometimes ^^).

[Cirocco]

On the whole "black side down" thing: I'm a quality engineer (not in aerospace though, I work in pharmaceuticals) and you'd be amazed how often these little things cause giant problems. Writing "not this knee" on a patient's leg may seem really silly, but it has prevented several extremely costly errors for almost no cost.

these small things seem stupid, but it's a reality that such things occur, especially in an environment where you have a lot of different people doing different jobs working together. Not everyone knows what impact their job can have. Preventing costly errors with minimal effort is the key to making high-quality products. And in a sector where you simply cannot afford any errors like aerospace such things are immeasurably important.

Of course, exactly because these things seem silly, cost little (but extra) effort and because the effects aren't noticed until something goes catastrophically wrong, it is extremely hard to consistently get everyone to do them every time. Such is the curse of the quality department.

[razark]

On the whole "black side down" thing: I'm a quality engineer (not in aerospace though, I work in pharmaceuticals) and you'd be amazed how often these little things cause giant problems. Writing "not this knee" on a patient's leg may seem really silly, but it has prevented several extremely costly errors for almost no cost.

With the knee, it's rather a simple thing to make a mistake, involving a moment of inattention by a very small number of people.

Mounting the orbiter upside down on the SCA would be a massive investment in time and labor by a considerably larger number of people, not to mention someone would have to figure out how to actually invert the vehicle and hook it up to the Mate-Demate Device. It would be something that would have to be done intentionally, if it were even possible.

[Yukon0009]

On the whole "black side down" thing: I'm a quality engineer (not in aerospace though, I work in pharmaceuticals) and you'd be amazed how often these little things cause giant problems. Writing "not this knee" on a patient's leg may seem really silly, but it has prevented several extremely costly errors for almost no cost.

these small things seem stupid, but it's a reality that such things occur, especially in an environment where you have a lot of different people doing different jobs working together. Not everyone knows what impact their job can have. Preventing costly errors with minimal effort is the key to making high-quality products. And in a sector where you simply cannot afford any errors like aerospace such things are immeasurably important.

Of course, exactly because these things seem silly, cost little (but extra) effort and because the effects aren't noticed until something goes catastrophically wrong, it is extremely hard to consistently get everyone to do them every time. Such is the curse of the quality department.

I agree with you, but seriosly, that just sounds kerbal.

[Cirocco]

With the knee, it's rather a simple thing to make a mistake, involving a moment of inattention by a very small number of people.

Mounting the orbiter upside down on the SCA would be a massive investment in time and labor by a considerably larger number of people, not to mention someone would have to figure out how to actually invert the vehicle and hook it up to the Mate-Demate Device. It would be something that would have to be done intentionally, if it were even possible.

well like I said, I don't work in aerospace so I don't know the details on how easy this mistake would be or what kind of failsafes are already in place, but you'd be surprised at how far people will go to make something fit. As a rule: any possible incorrect interpretation of instructions or rules will at one point in time happen, no matter how silly, trivial or minbogglingly insane it may seem.

For example hammering parachutes into their housing to make them fit, resulting in the parachutes not being able to deploy; installing sensors upside down; using similar but different bolts in construction leading to structural failure, etc.

I agree with you, but seriosly, that just sounds kerbal.

oh absolutely, not denying that one I'll definitely admit it gave me a laugh when I saw it

[radonek]

Well there are many things to get right pre launch that people may overlook. Best try to nip it in the bud early. This Russian Proton had it's yaw control guidance package put in upside down, despite the big red arrows showing the correct orientation. I read it alleged somewhere that the technician used a hammer to "make it fit".

I heard it a different way (a long time ago and cant remember the source, so YMMV). At fault was some sensor in fuel line that was, as is widely reported, marked with arrow (after some previous accidents anyway :-) ). All good, except what was to mean "this way to space" this technician took for "this way fuel flows". Which is convention when plumbing is concerned around here. I know its not as funny as "teh stupid ruskies" version, but sounds as completely understandable mistake in my book.