Retrospective analysis of decisions made to exit an emergency situation at the Plesetsk cosmodrome on June 26, 1973

The article discusses the main aspects of decision-making during an emergency situation at the preparation and launch of the Cosmos-3M launch vehicle at the Plesetsk cosmodrome on June 26, 1973, which developed into a disaster. A graphical model developed by the authors for preparing and making decisions to overcome emergency situations, taking into account incoming information, is presented. A retrospective analysis of the decisions made by the head of the process of preparation and launch of the Cosmos-3M launch vehicle on June 26, 1973, when an emergency situation occurred, was carried out based on game theory, and the stages of decision-making were characterized. The target settings that make the basis for the decisions made are given. In the article the decisions made, the reasons for erroneous decisions are characterized at the substantive level, recommendations for using the available information to make the right decisions, which could not only prevent a disaster, but also launch a launch vehicle, are given. The article may be useful for the specialists in decision-making related to the rocket and space technology, as well as to anyone interested in the history of Russian cosmonautics.

Authors: E. N. Shapovalov, Yu. B. Ostapchenko, F. I. Weintraub, V. V. Romantsev

Direction: Informatics, Computer Technologies And Control

Keywords: disaster, emergency situation, decision maker, stages of decision making

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