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Safety by Design

What is a Self-Destruct Mechanism?

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A self-destruct mechanism is a feature that allows a machine or device to destroy itself under certain circumstances.

Safety

Self-destruct mechanisms can be used as a safety feature. For example, rocket boosters may be equipped with a self-destruct mechanism so that they can be destroyed when they malfunction to prevent them from going too far in an out-of-control manner.

Data Security

Devices may be designed to wipe data under certain circumstances as a data security measure.

Example

A self-destruct mechanism was deployed shortly after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986. Two solid rocket boosters were self-destructed simultaneously 37 seconds after the initial explosion as they spiraled back towards the ground. This was triggered by the Range Safety Officer who determined the rockets were a threat to people on the ground.
Overview: Self-Destruct Mechanism
Type
Safety by Design
Definition
A feature that allows a machine or device to destroy itself under certain circumstances.
Value
Preventing out of control equipment from hurting people.
Security resources such as data from authorized use.
Related Concepts

Safety Design

This is the complete list of articles we have written about safety design.
Active Safety
Defensive Design
Derating
Error Tolerance
Fail-safe
Graceful Degradation
Mistake Proofing
Moving Parts
Passive Risk
Passive Safety
Reliability Engineering
Residual Risk
Safety Controls
Safety Needs
Secondary Risk
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