NASA: Exploring the Depths of... the Dictionary?

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory didn’t make it into orbit, becoming, for a moment, space junk and then, more permanently, litter.

It failed, as the press releases say, but if you look at the various videos (here’s one), you’ll not find the words “accident” or “failure.”

Nope. Too obvious. Instead, NASA used their Roget’s and came up with “contingency.” Yes, a valid choice of word, but, really, NASA, you’re scientists and engineers, people who are fond of calling BULLSH*T when listening to politicians obfuscate their misdeeds. Admit failure to the cameras and let’s dispense with the politician’s tactics.