oh , cos I got the impression that he made up the success % from the soap (Ivory soap?) earlier , and the hose came from the hardware store .
It was the guys in the Marshall cafeteria (who were silent when he asked them) who gave him the note. Obviously they could not refer directly to the figure so they used the "ivory soap" thing to point him to it.
Anyway, I was well aware of the cause, given the several documentaries about this over the years, but I had NO idea that Feynman was involved in the analysis. I know a fair bit about his work in general (admittedly largely from Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything) but this escaped me!
The impression from other documentaries is that they knew very well that it would be a risky launch but went ahead anyway. Interesting little note about the "source" of the leak, shown just before the end credits.
As to the production, I enjoyed it, although I found Hurt's delivery a little odd. Obviously he was being in character, so it's not his fault!
It was the guys in the Marshall cafeteria (who were silent when he asked them) who gave him the note. Obviously they could not refer directly to the figure so they used the "ivory soap" thing to point him to it.
Anyway, I was well aware of the cause, given the several documentaries about this over the years, but I had NO idea that Feynman was involved in the analysis. I know a fair bit about his work in general (admittedly largely from Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything) but this escaped me!
The impression from other documentaries is that they knew very well that it would be a risky launch but went ahead anyway. Interesting little note about the "source" of the leak, shown just before the end credits.
As to the production, I enjoyed it, although I found Hurt's delivery a little odd. Obviously he was being in character, so it's not his fault!
I presume 'Ivory Soap' is associated with that percentage figure to Americans, just means nothing to the rest of us!
I seem to remember from what I have read previously that the Board could easily have been used by NASA to suppress any suggestions of failure on their part but Feynman had a history of being very persistent and digging to find the truth.
We will never know if they would have got there without him.
I presume 'Ivory Soap' is associated with that percentage figure to Americans, just means nothing to the rest of us!
I seem to remember from what I have read previously that the Board could easily have been used by NASA to suppress any suggestions of failure on their part but Feynman had a history of being very persistent and digging to find the truth.
We will never know if they would have got there without him.
Yep - I'm Canadian and we all grew up with the Ivory Soap ads that ended with the tag "99 44/100 % pure". I thought it was a bit odd that he didn't get that right away (I certainly did) - but maybe as an academic he didn't watch as much tv as I did.
Anyway, I was well aware of the cause, given the several documentaries about this over the years, but I had NO idea that Feynman was involved in the analysis. I know a fair bit about his work in general (admittedly largely from Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything) but this escaped me!
Get yourself over the Amazon (other booksellers are available) and order his "Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman" and "'What Do You Care What Other People Think?" which are collections of anecdotes from this life - including his role in the Callenger investigation. I haven't read mine for years but after watching this I'll have to dig them out of the attic.
Even though I knew the story well this was an excellent drama, well written and with a possibly BAFTA-worthy performance from Hurt.
I presume 'Ivory Soap' is associated with that percentage figure to Americans, just means nothing to the rest of us!
I seem to remember from what I have read previously that the Board could easily have been used by NASA to suppress any suggestions of failure on their part but Feynman had a history of being very persistent and digging to find the truth.
We will never know if they would have got there without him.
The truth was already out there, the Morton Thiokol engineer had already been on the case it was known that there was a problem with blow by on the seals at low temperature.
The story last night was basically about Feynman's part in the investigation, but it left out many other facts probably for clarity, but the problem with the seals was well known and it would have come out eventually (probably after another loss)
When he got the note about Ivory Soap, had no idea what it meant, but I was thinking he needed to look that up as it seemed to be a hint! Quite a clever way really of giving him the percentage figure without actually admitting anything!!!
I also read that the reason they agreed to add on his report, was because he refused to sign the commissions report unless they did, so he was determined. It did seem that everyone on the commission had an agenda, so I only have watched this and read up on it a bit, but it does feel he got to the truth, which maybe eventually would've happened but not so quickly if he hadn't been there. After all, if he hadn't done his glass and O ring with clamp thing, they would've believed what was being said about no way the cold affected the O rings.
I thought he brought the clamp from the hardware store as he said the O ring was given to him.
I must admit I knew little about him. Be quite interested to read his books though. He seems a really interesting bloke.
I really enjoyed the show as well and it was nice to Joanne Whalley on TV. Apparently Richard Feynman's wife really was from Yorkshire, but I guess that casting someone from Salford is close enough.
99 and 44/100% Dead was the title of a mob thriller in the mid 70s. It was clearly well known in the States.
Also used to sell a porn movie which starred the model in the soap ad - Marilyn Chambers.
I really enjoyed the show as well and it was nice to Joanne Whalley on TV. Apparently Richard Feynman's wife really was from Yorkshire, but I guess that casting someone from Salford is close enough.
He was married three times, his first wife died of TB.
I was thinking of all the great scientists who were around in the early to mid 20th century, certainly Feynman was one, as was Einstein, Paul Dirac, Niels Bohr, Alan Turing, Wener Heisenberg, Edward Teller and plenty of others as well. Anyone want to add any more to the list?
Shame that these days the media seems to obsess about airhead bimbos and brainless footballers.
Surprised by how little this was promoted prior to broadcast.
Just happened to be channel-hopping at 9pm and saw the scene with Feynman doing his "pendulum" demonstration and thought "Oooh, something about Richard Feynman. This might be interesting".
Didn't even know what it was going to be about or that it was due to be aired.
After realising that there were some fairly big stars in it I had a look on IMDB to see when it was made and was quite surprised to see that 18/03 was actually the "world premiere".
Amazing to think that the BBC can put together a high quality film drama like this, involving some pretty big stars, and broadcast it with almost no publicity or fanfare at all.
Admittedly, I don't watch a huge amount of telly so maybe there were trailers for this which I didn't see but it doesn't seem like they made a great deal of effort to let people know about it.
Surprised by how little this was promoted prior to broadcast.
Me too. I discovered it through this very thread (DS does have its uses!) but had missed it, so I downloaded it on BBC iPlayer (Sky box). Although I did know the story - and they did miss out important aspects of it (such as details of the O-ring debates and decisions arrived at between the manufacturers and NASA), I found it very well made and most enjoyable. It deserved better promotion.
It didn't tell us anything most people familar with the Challenger debacle didn't already know, but it was an excellent film. The BBC should consider doing a film about Columbia too, which was also lost due to similar NASA arrogance.
I haven't checked the credit yet but thought I heard some incidental music as Ron's Piece or something very similar, from Jean Michel Jarre's track, astronaut Ron McNair was supposed to play the saxophone on the track from space on board The Challenger.
Excellent film, it was repeated last night. Nearly missed it though as Mrs dsnik hides things like this from me. She thought it was a programme about tanks,
Looks like its off to Amazon to get some reading on Feynman.
Thanks again, that's in to tape.
I spent half of last night watching Feynman lectures on Youtube.
This also showed what a remarkable jub Hurt did of bringing out Feynman's character.
Comments
It was the guys in the Marshall cafeteria (who were silent when he asked them) who gave him the note. Obviously they could not refer directly to the figure so they used the "ivory soap" thing to point him to it.
Anyway, I was well aware of the cause, given the several documentaries about this over the years, but I had NO idea that Feynman was involved in the analysis. I know a fair bit about his work in general (admittedly largely from Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything) but this escaped me!
The impression from other documentaries is that they knew very well that it would be a risky launch but went ahead anyway. Interesting little note about the "source" of the leak, shown just before the end credits.
As to the production, I enjoyed it, although I found Hurt's delivery a little odd. Obviously he was being in character, so it's not his fault!
I presume 'Ivory Soap' is associated with that percentage figure to Americans, just means nothing to the rest of us!
I seem to remember from what I have read previously that the Board could easily have been used by NASA to suppress any suggestions of failure on their part but Feynman had a history of being very persistent and digging to find the truth.
We will never know if they would have got there without him.
Yep - I'm Canadian and we all grew up with the Ivory Soap ads that ended with the tag "99 44/100 % pure". I thought it was a bit odd that he didn't get that right away (I certainly did) - but maybe as an academic he didn't watch as much tv as I did.
Get yourself over the Amazon (other booksellers are available) and order his "Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman" and "'What Do You Care What Other People Think?" which are collections of anecdotes from this life - including his role in the Callenger investigation. I haven't read mine for years but after watching this I'll have to dig them out of the attic.
Even though I knew the story well this was an excellent drama, well written and with a possibly BAFTA-worthy performance from Hurt.
The truth was already out there, the Morton Thiokol engineer had already been on the case it was known that there was a problem with blow by on the seals at low temperature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Boisjoly
The story last night was basically about Feynman's part in the investigation, but it left out many other facts probably for clarity, but the problem with the seals was well known and it would have come out eventually (probably after another loss)
I also read that the reason they agreed to add on his report, was because he refused to sign the commissions report unless they did, so he was determined. It did seem that everyone on the commission had an agenda, so I only have watched this and read up on it a bit, but it does feel he got to the truth, which maybe eventually would've happened but not so quickly if he hadn't been there. After all, if he hadn't done his glass and O ring with clamp thing, they would've believed what was being said about no way the cold affected the O rings.
I thought he brought the clamp from the hardware store as he said the O ring was given to him.
I must admit I knew little about him. Be quite interested to read his books though. He seems a really interesting bloke.
Also used to sell a porn movie which starred the model in the soap ad - Marilyn Chambers.
He was married three times, his first wife died of TB.
Shame that these days the media seems to obsess about airhead bimbos and brainless footballers.
Just happened to be channel-hopping at 9pm and saw the scene with Feynman doing his "pendulum" demonstration and thought "Oooh, something about Richard Feynman. This might be interesting".
Didn't even know what it was going to be about or that it was due to be aired.
After realising that there were some fairly big stars in it I had a look on IMDB to see when it was made and was quite surprised to see that 18/03 was actually the "world premiere".
Amazing to think that the BBC can put together a high quality film drama like this, involving some pretty big stars, and broadcast it with almost no publicity or fanfare at all.
Admittedly, I don't watch a huge amount of telly so maybe there were trailers for this which I didn't see but it doesn't seem like they made a great deal of effort to let people know about it.
Me too. I discovered it through this very thread (DS does have its uses!) but had missed it, so I downloaded it on BBC iPlayer (Sky box). Although I did know the story - and they did miss out important aspects of it (such as details of the O-ring debates and decisions arrived at between the manufacturers and NASA), I found it very well made and most enjoyable. It deserved better promotion.
for RF fans (me included!) see here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/feynman/
i'm sure the Horizon interview with him is around somewhere too ...
K
Looks like its off to Amazon to get some reading on Feynman.
Worth checking the iplayer.
How did i miss that? Thanks steviex
It is also repeated tomorrow on BBC2 at 11:20pm.
Hide the remote from the missus now!
I spent half of last night watching Feynman lectures on Youtube.
This also showed what a remarkable jub Hurt did of bringing out Feynman's character.