Roid Rage Just Screws
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Aug 28, 2025 Discover the unexpected impact of small components like screws and fasteners on everything from bike safety to spacecraft performance. Hear a harrowing tale of a cycling accident that underscores the need for better bike designs. Laugh along as the hosts delve into aliens, connectors, and the quirks of precision engineering. They even share whimsical thoughts on extraterrestrial encounters and the challenges of mission funding. It's a delightful mix of humor, technical insights, and tales from the aerospace world that you won't want to miss!
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Seat Screw Caused Real Injury
- Robyn described a bicycle seat screw failing and causing a severe ankle injury requiring reconstructive surgery.
- She later ended up with three screws in her ankle, illustrating how small fastener failures can be violent and personal.
Small Hardware Drives Big Failures
- Small hardware like screws, washers, helicoils and epoxy collectively cause many spacecraft failures rather than one single catastrophic fault.
- Attention to these parts affects integration, thermal control, shipping, and overall mission reliability.
Standardize And Specify Fasteners
- Specify fasteners carefully: material, torque, coating, head type and length all matter for performance and integration.
- Standardize and minimize fastener variety to reduce inventory, errors, and build time.