Space shuttle booster rocket fixings?
Space shuttle booster rocket fixings?
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Discussion

Driller

Original Poster:

8,310 posts

301 months

Wednesday 18th November 2009
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Anyone know how the booster rocket is clamped to the space shuttle and how the mechanism works when they jettison it?

Just a random question after watching a shuttle launch..

Jonny671

29,763 posts

212 months

Wednesday 18th November 2009
quotequote all
SRB separation is initiated when the three solid rocket motor chamber pressure transducers are processed in the redundancy management middle value select and the head-end chamber pressure of both SRBs is less than or equal to 50 psi (340 kPa). A backup cue is the time elapsed from booster ignition.

The separation sequence is initiated, commanding the thrust vector control actuators to the null position and putting the main propulsion system into a second-stage configuration (0.8 second from sequence initialization), which ensures the thrust of each SRB is less than 100,000 lbf (440 kN). Orbiter yaw attitude is held for four seconds, and SRB thrust drops to less than 60,000 lbf (270 kN).

The SRBs separate from the external tank within 30 milliseconds of the ordnance firing command.

The forward attachment point consists of a ball (SRB) and socket (External Tank (ET)) held together by one bolt. The bolt contains one NSD pressure cartridge at each end. The forward attachment point also carries the range safety system cross-strap wiring connecting each SRB RSS and the ET RSS with each other.

The aft attachment points consist of three separate struts: upper, diagonal and lower. Each strut contains one bolt with an NSD pressure cartridge at each end. The upper strut also carries the umbilical interface between its SRB and the external tank and on to the orbiter.

There are four booster separation motors on each end of each SRB. The BSMs separate the SRBs from the external tank. The solid rocket motors in each cluster of four are ignited by firing redundant NSD pressure cartridges into redundant confined detonating fuse manifolds.

The separation commands issued from the orbiter by the SRB separation sequence initiate the redundant NSD pressure cartridge in each bolt and ignite the BSMs to effect a clean separation.

Eric Mc

124,756 posts

288 months

Wednesday 18th November 2009
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Any chance of a bit more detail? smile

Driller

Original Poster:

8,310 posts

301 months

Wednesday 18th November 2009
quotequote all
Thanks for the reply smile As Eric said, you're was reply was impressively "comprehensive"!

munroman

1,902 posts

207 months

Wednesday 18th November 2009
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I'm sorry, nowhere have you stated the colour of the bolts, Eric would have!

Jonny671

29,763 posts

212 months

Wednesday 18th November 2009
quotequote all
No worries!

Thank Wikipedia, I know it's not always 100% but it sounds quite detailed in this subject!