Allan J. McDonald

American engineer (1937-2021)

Allan James McDonald (July 9, 1937 – March 6, 2021) was an American engineer, aerospace consultant and author.[1] He was the director of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Project for Morton-Thiokol.

Allan J. McDonald
Allan J. McDonald in 2012
Born(1937-06-09)June 9, 1937
DiedMarch 6, 2021(2021-03-06) (aged 83)
Ogden, Utah, US
NationalityAmerican
Alma materMontana State University
University of Utah

In January 1986, he refused to sign off on a launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger which broke apart 73 seconds into flight.[2]

McDonald died in Ogden, Utah at the age of 83 on March 6, 2021.[3] The cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage caused by a fall.[4]

References

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  1. Kandil, Caitlin Yoshiko (January 31, 2016). "Engineer who refused to OK Challenger launch report donates papers to Chapman University". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  2. "Engineer who opposed Challenger launch offers personal look at tragedy". NASA. October 5, 2012. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  3. Risen, Clay (March 9, 2021). "Allan McDonald dies at 83; tried to stop the Challenger launch". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  4. Berkes, Howard (March 7, 2021). "Remembering Allan McDonald: he refused to approve Challenger launch, exposed cover-up". NPR. Retrieved March 8, 2021.