Foiling Failure: the Value of Forensic Science in Aerospace Engineering

By Doug Bonderud

In our personal lives, failure offers growth opportunities. In aerospace engineering, failure puts missions and lives at risk — even a minuscule crack or poorly soldered electrical connection could doom an otherwise healthy spacecraft.

Northrop Grumman takes a proactive approach to foiling future failures through the work of specialized forensic science teams in Reliability Analysis Labs (RALs). From analyses of past failures to "destructive analyses," which test materials before they make it to orbit, RALs support customers' mission success and reduce their total risk.