The chapter I’m reading in Challenger is titled: Black Cat. It seemed appropriate for a Friday the 13th dot!
Challenger is a well-researched account of the space rocket explosion in 1986 but the story begins earlier. What would have been the 13th shuttle program (STS-13) in 1983 was renamed due to superstition following the near catastrophe of Apollo 13. The NASA administrator refused to allow another mission to contain the number 13.
But the crew of that mission (now STS-41-C) designed its own unofficial patch for their suits — featuring a “crazed-looking black cat, its back arched, a bright green number 13 emblazoned on its flank, with a shuttle orbiter swooping between its legs.” Obviously, the patch was never used, but it provided camaraderie and bonding for the crew.
What role does superstition play in your organization? Do you rename things to avoid 13 as hotels famously did to avoid labeling a 13th floor? Or have you created your own irrational beliefs that carry as much weight in your organization as the mythical black cats? Be like the astronauts and set your fears aside today to have some fun with the 13th.
Source: Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham, 2024.
