Space Shuttle Mission Evaluation Team - Chit Kickers Patch

The Space Shuttle program had extensive post-mission evaluation processes that involved multiple teams analyzing every aspect of each flight. After each mission, NASA would conduct comprehensive reviews that included:

• Analysis of all flight data and telemetry
• Inspection of returned hardware
• Review of mission anomalies detected during flight
• Assessment of any damage or wear to vehicle components
• Evaluation of crew performance and mission objectives

The "Chit Kickers" nickname suggests this was likely an internal team involved in the detailed post-flight evaluation process, possibly reviewing discrepancy reports (often called "chits" in aerospace parlance) and working through technical issues discovered during or after missions.

These evaluation teams were critical to shuttle safety, especially after the Challenger accident in 1986, when NASA significantly strengthened its risk assessment and mission evaluation procedures. The systematic feedback from post-flight analysis was essential for identifying issues that needed to be addressed before the next flight.