Questions tagged [srb]
Questions regarding the solid rocket boosters used to propel spacecraft, often during launch.
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How are SRBs and solid rocket motors transported safely? Do they ever end up on trucks driven down public highways?
The BBC News article The Rocket Scientists Mixing Up a Giant Firework begins with:
In a remote corner of tropical South American jungle, French scientists are mixing a ‘cake’ with a difference – a ...
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Source for Shuttle SRB segment history diagrams
I'm looking for a source for these ATK booster segment history images.
Sadly absent user TildalWave posted a comment with a link to an article containing this one 3 1/2 years ago.
I've finally ...
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Final results on Space Shuttle SRB reuse goal?
One of the stated goals of the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters (SRBs) was their re-usability and cost savings from such reuse. I know that many of them were reused, but in the end, how successful ...
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Do some solid rockets burn faster at the bottom? What's an extreme case?
Discussion in comments below this answer relate to how much solid rockets or SRBs burn bottom-to-top versus radially outward.
I am sure I've seen a diagram somewhere showing that different designs ...
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Did NASA archive the audio recording of STS launches
I believe some important information could be recovered if the Launchpad audio of STS-51L still exists.
The leak in the RH aft field joint could have created a high pitched whistle between 0.678 ...
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Are side boosters sometimes angled even if they are symmetrically arranged?
When more than one side booster is added to a first stage to increase thrust and they are distributed uniformly around the core (as opposed to those shown in links below) thrust does not seem to need ...
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Documented economics of STS Solid Rocket Booster reuse?
I often see the claim that the Shuttle SRBs cost as much to recover & refurb as it would to build a new one. I've probably even parroted this claim myself.
But, are there any actual studies or ...
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Why aren't the Ariane 5's SRBs reused?
The Ariane 5 uses two solid rocket boosters (SRBs), which can be recovered by parachute if desired. However, unlike (for instance) the space shuttle SRBs, Ariane 5 SRBs are only occasionally ...
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What makes exhaust from aluminum-based SRB propellant so bright?
The brightness and color of the extremely bright light produced by the Space Shuttle SRB's is discussed in this answer and in comments below it, though the main subject there is the dim blue light ...
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How were the Space Shuttle SRBs ignited? (with what?)
I'm unable to find how exactly the Space Shuttle's SRBs were ignited, or what exactly was used to ignite the rocket.
I'm trying to figure out the best way to instantly ignite a solid rocket reliably,...
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Was a method available to save the Challenger Crew?
In a previous thread, I asked the question of the likelihood of the STS stack surviving an early separation of the SRB using the SRB manual separation switch on panel C3:
Could the SRB's have ...
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Could the SRB's have separated successfully at 70 seconds into flight
The shuttle had a switch on panel C3 which allowed the crew to trigger a manual separation of the SRB. This switch had to have a purpose when moved from Auto to manual mode. What would have ...
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Why didn't the SRBs of the Space Shuttle use carbon instead of aluminium?
In the Solid Rocket Boosters of the Space Shuttle, the following reaction happened:
$\mathrm{NH_4ClO_4 + Al \rightarrow H_2O + N_2 + Al_2O_3 + AlCl_3}$
Using carbon instead aluminium, we would have ...
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Why didn't the space shuttle SRBs have wings and tires?
Why didn't the space shuttle solid rocket boosters have wings and tires to land the same way the orbiter lands? I don't think they haven't thought of that so there must be something that led them not ...
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Could the shuttle wait out the whole burn of SRBs on launchpad in case of a problem on launch?
Somewhere on this site I read that in NASA, the rocket leaves the launchpad (through release of explosive bolts) only after the engines have attained full power.
Assuming in the scarce seconds ...
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