"# Analysis of the risk of failure of the O-rings on the Challenger shuttle"
]
},
{
"cell_type": "markdown",
"metadata": {},
"source": [
"On January 27, 1986, the day before the takeoff of the shuttle _Challenger_, had\n",
"a three-hour teleconference was held between \n",
"Morton Thiokol (the manufacturer of one of the engines) and NASA. The\n",
"discussion focused on the consequences of the\n",
"temperature at take-off of 31°F (just below\n",
"0°C) for the success of the flight and in particular on the performance of the\n",
"O-rings used in the engines. Indeed, no test\n",
"had been performed at this temperature.\n",
"\n",
"The following study takes up some of the analyses carried out that\n",
"night with the objective of assessing the potential influence of\n",
"the temperature and pressure to which the O-rings are subjected\n",
"on their probability of malfunction. Our starting point is \n",
"the results of the experiments carried out by NASA engineers\n",
"during the six years preceding the launch of the shuttle\n",
"Challenger."
]
},
{
"cell_type": "markdown",
"metadata": {},
"source": [
"## Loading the data\n",
"We start by loading this data:"
]
},
{
"cell_type": "code",
"execution_count": 3,
"metadata": {},
"outputs": [
{
"data": {
"text/html": [
"<div>\n",
"<style scoped>\n",
" .dataframe tbody tr th:only-of-type {\n",
" vertical-align: middle;\n",
" }\n",
"\n",
" .dataframe tbody tr th {\n",
" vertical-align: top;\n",
" }\n",
"\n",
" .dataframe thead th {\n",
" text-align: right;\n",
" }\n",
"</style>\n",
"<table border=\"1\" class=\"dataframe\">\n",
" <thead>\n",
" <tr style=\"text-align: right;\">\n",
" <th></th>\n",
" <th>Date</th>\n",
" <th>Count</th>\n",
" <th>Temperature</th>\n",
" <th>Pressure</th>\n",
" <th>Malfunction</th>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" </thead>\n",
" <tbody>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>0</th>\n",
" <td>4/12/81</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>66</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>1</th>\n",
" <td>11/12/81</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>70</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>2</th>\n",
" <td>3/22/82</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>69</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>3</th>\n",
" <td>11/11/82</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>68</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>4</th>\n",
" <td>4/04/83</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>67</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>5</th>\n",
" <td>6/18/82</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>72</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>6</th>\n",
" <td>8/30/83</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>73</td>\n",
" <td>100</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>7</th>\n",
" <td>11/28/83</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>70</td>\n",
" <td>100</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>8</th>\n",
" <td>2/03/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>57</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>9</th>\n",
" <td>4/06/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>63</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>10</th>\n",
" <td>8/30/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>70</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>11</th>\n",
" <td>10/05/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>78</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>12</th>\n",
" <td>11/08/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>67</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>13</th>\n",
" <td>1/24/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>53</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>2</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>14</th>\n",
" <td>4/12/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>67</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>15</th>\n",
" <td>4/29/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>75</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>16</th>\n",
" <td>6/17/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>70</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>17</th>\n",
" <td>7/29/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>81</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>18</th>\n",
" <td>8/27/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>76</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>19</th>\n",
" <td>10/03/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>79</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>20</th>\n",
" <td>10/30/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>75</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>2</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>21</th>\n",
" <td>11/26/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>76</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>0</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>22</th>\n",
" <td>1/12/86</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>58</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" </tbody>\n",
"</table>\n",
"</div>"
],
"text/plain": [
" Date Count Temperature Pressure Malfunction\n",
"0 4/12/81 6 66 50 0\n",
"1 11/12/81 6 70 50 1\n",
"2 3/22/82 6 69 50 0\n",
"3 11/11/82 6 68 50 0\n",
"4 4/04/83 6 67 50 0\n",
"5 6/18/82 6 72 50 0\n",
"6 8/30/83 6 73 100 0\n",
"7 11/28/83 6 70 100 0\n",
"8 2/03/84 6 57 200 1\n",
"9 4/06/84 6 63 200 1\n",
"10 8/30/84 6 70 200 1\n",
"11 10/05/84 6 78 200 0\n",
"12 11/08/84 6 67 200 0\n",
"13 1/24/85 6 53 200 2\n",
"14 4/12/85 6 67 200 0\n",
"15 4/29/85 6 75 200 0\n",
"16 6/17/85 6 70 200 0\n",
"17 7/29/85 6 81 200 0\n",
"18 8/27/85 6 76 200 0\n",
"19 10/03/85 6 79 200 0\n",
"20 10/30/85 6 75 200 2\n",
"21 11/26/85 6 76 200 0\n",
"22 1/12/86 6 58 200 1"
]
},
"execution_count": 3,
"metadata": {},
"output_type": "execute_result"
}
],
"source": [
"import numpy as np\n",
"import pandas as pd\n",
"data = pd.read_csv(\"shuttle.csv\")\n",
"data"
]
},
{
"cell_type": "markdown",
"metadata": {},
"source": [
"The data set shows us the date of each test, the number of O-rings (there are 6 on the main launcher), the temperature (in Fahrenheit) and pressure (in psi), and finally the number of identified malfunctions."
]
},
{
"cell_type": "markdown",
"metadata": {},
"source": [
"## Graphical inspection\n",
"Flights without incidents do not provide any information\n",
"on the influence of temperature or pressure on malfunction.\n",
"We thus focus on the experiments in which at least one O-ring\n",
"was defective."
]
},
{
"cell_type": "code",
"execution_count": 4,
"metadata": {},
"outputs": [
{
"data": {
"text/html": [
"<div>\n",
"<style scoped>\n",
" .dataframe tbody tr th:only-of-type {\n",
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" .dataframe thead th {\n",
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"</style>\n",
"<table border=\"1\" class=\"dataframe\">\n",
" <thead>\n",
" <tr style=\"text-align: right;\">\n",
" <th></th>\n",
" <th>Date</th>\n",
" <th>Count</th>\n",
" <th>Temperature</th>\n",
" <th>Pressure</th>\n",
" <th>Malfunction</th>\n",
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" <tbody>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>1</th>\n",
" <td>11/12/81</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>70</td>\n",
" <td>50</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>8</th>\n",
" <td>2/03/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>57</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>9</th>\n",
" <td>4/06/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>63</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>10</th>\n",
" <td>8/30/84</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>70</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>13</th>\n",
" <td>1/24/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>53</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>2</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>20</th>\n",
" <td>10/30/85</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>75</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>2</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" <tr>\n",
" <th>22</th>\n",
" <td>1/12/86</td>\n",
" <td>6</td>\n",
" <td>58</td>\n",
" <td>200</td>\n",
" <td>1</td>\n",
" </tr>\n",
" </tbody>\n",
"</table>\n",
"</div>"
],
"text/plain": [
" Date Count Temperature Pressure Malfunction\n",
"1 11/12/81 6 70 50 1\n",
"8 2/03/84 6 57 200 1\n",
"9 4/06/84 6 63 200 1\n",
"10 8/30/84 6 70 200 1\n",
"13 1/24/85 6 53 200 2\n",
"20 10/30/85 6 75 200 2\n",
"22 1/12/86 6 58 200 1"
]
},
"execution_count": 4,
"metadata": {},
"output_type": "execute_result"
}
],
"source": [
"data = data[data.Malfunction>0]\n",
"data"
]
},
{
"cell_type": "markdown",
"metadata": {},
"source": [
"We have a high temperature variability but\n",
"the pressure is almost always 200, which should\n",
"simplify the analysis.\n",
"\n",
"How does the frequency of failure vary with temperature?"