How Big Systems Fail, and Why That Can’t Happen in Human Spaceflight”

Join us at the Center for Space Education at Kennedy Space Center to hear Chis Ferguson, former NASA and Boeing Astronaut on missions for STS-115 Atlantis (2006), STS-126 Endeavour (2008), and STS-135 Atlantis (2011).

As we push the boundaries of human space exploration, our commitment to excellence and safety takes center stage. Chris Ferguson will delve into the intricate web of big, complex systems, shedding light on the pivotal failure chains that, if broken, can lead to catastrophic outcomes. Citing historical examples, we will analyze the parallels between these events and space exploration to drive home the point that failure is not an option. He will share his viewpoint on how to better manage the weak links in the chain as well as how autonomy plays into the failure equation.