Difficult Quote by Jack Swigert
“Where one component might do, two are used bcause rescue on a lunar mission would be next to impossible. After all, you're 250,000 miles from earth. It wouldn't be nearly so difficult while in earth orbit.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Apollo 13 debrief, 1970
Redundancy in critical systems is essential for safety, especially in extreme environments like space.
In simple terms: Use backups to prevent single points of failure.
Key Takeaway
Design with redundancy for reliability.
Themes
engineering
risk management
space travel
redundancy
Mood
pragmatic
analytical
technical
Type
technical
advisory
When to use this quote
- spacecraft design
- critical infrastructure
- medical equipment
- software development
Key Concepts
systems engineering
failure tolerance
mission planning
Questions to Reflect On
- How many backups are enough?
- What trade‑offs exist between safety and efficiency?
A Different Perspective
Redundancy adds cost and complexity, which can introduce new failure modes.
