All Questions
9
questions
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is the purpose of the aft skirt on the Space Shuttle and SLS Solid Rocket Boosters?
The Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) used by the Space Shuttle and SLS have a skirt near the bottom.
What is it for? Is it only to support the stack?
- 5,333
5
votes
3
answers
441
views
What happens if you use an expired solid rocket booster?
Prior to the launch, there was media coverage about how the SLS solid rocket boosters were set to expire in December (which could have caused the launch to be delayed).
Was this expiration date based ...
- 1,565
8
votes
1
answer
233
views
What is the cabling on the exterior of the SLS solid rocket boosters that wasn't on the shuttle solid rocket boosters?
I noticed what appears to be foamed-over cabling running roughly parallel to the systems tunnel on the exterior of the SLS Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). The cabling appears to run all the way from the ...
- 184k
5
votes
1
answer
606
views
Why is there a need for a "forward skirt" segment on SLS solid rockets?
The SLS solid rockets have a "forward skirt segment" above the five true rocket propellent segments. What is the purpose of this segment? I believe that it contains the avionics for the ...
- 9,802
6
votes
1
answer
366
views
What is the time sequence for SRB burn-out and separation?
I understand that SRBs cannot be throttled or shut down, they need to "burn out". Since they are often used in pairs, I assume there is a statistical spread in the burn duration of the two ...
- 22.9k
6
votes
1
answer
668
views
Did the shuttle SRBs have separation motors?
Looking at a NASA fact sheet about the SLS SRBs and I noticed it has at the bottom around the nozzle, separation motors.
Watching shuttle launches It looks to me like the SRBs continue to fire ...
- 959
6
votes
1
answer
747
views
Are the APUs on the SLS SRBs planned to be hydrazine powered?
I recently read that the Space Launch System core stage, which uses renamed / slightly reworked Space Shuttle Main Engines and therefore requires a hydraulic system to service said engines, will use ...
- 184k
4
votes
1
answer
972
views
How are SLS SRBs considered man-rated?
Using solid rocket boosters on a manned launch comes with some additional risks because they can't be turned off or throttled down once lit. For the Shuttle this created some additional failures modes ...
- 1,244
9
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Why were Solid Rockets chosen for the SLS
The SLS and the STS seem to be the only rockets utilizing SRBs... Why did they choose to go with them over LH/LOX or Kerosene/LOX? Wouldn't it also be easier to upgrade those rockets in the future?
- 101