No it doesn't. It's stating the obvious. Fixing the o-rings won't bring the crew of the Challenger back either. It's still worth doing.
I think it does bear repeating. The failure here was not one of inadequate punishment of offenders after the fact. 25 to life is one most people would consider a pretty darn good deterrent.
Cutting down on these horrors(not eliminating them, which isn't possible) requires, as the author says, more effective implementation of existing regulations and laws, not the passing of new, feel-good ones, such as changing 25-life to life.
I would have no problem with a death penalty for this kind of crime, but I don't fool myself that having one would prevent many of them. It would, however, eliminate recidivism.