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Author Topic:   Space shuttle solid rocket booster curtain
liebeek
Member

Posts: 247
From: the netherlands
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 01-10-2009 02:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for liebeek   Click Here to Email liebeek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Can anyone explain to me what a solid rocket booster curtain is exactly used for? What part does it play in the whole process when a shuttle goes into space?

Thanks,
Ruud

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-10-2009 04:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The curtains act as a thermal barrier, preventing auto-ignition of hydrazine fuel that powers two hydraulic actuators positioned farther inside the aft skirt.

The curtains also are used to protect the solid rocket boosters' guidance system and prevent any of the local fauna from nesting or taking up residence inside the hardware while it was readied for launch on the pad.

The curtains are mostly destroyed in flight.

blueangels1
Member

Posts: 35
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Aug 2006

posted 01-10-2009 04:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for blueangels1   Click Here to Email blueangels1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ruud, I have sent you a email along with some before and after pictures of the SRB thermal curtains.

All the best,
Jerry

liebeek
Member

Posts: 247
From: the netherlands
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 01-10-2009 07:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for liebeek   Click Here to Email liebeek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the lesson!!!!!!!

Ruud

Mr Meek
Member

Posts: 353
From: Chattanooga, TN
Registered: Dec 2007

posted 01-15-2009 01:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Mr Meek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Also, if you happen to be the protagonist of a bad 80's movie and have befriended a robot, the thermal curtains can be made to fail in plot-accelerating ways.

MadSci
Member

Posts: 226
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 02-16-2009 04:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MadSci     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was wondering what to do with mine - thanks for the idea, I'm off to Florida. Seats are available in the flight for a nominal price, who wants to go into Space!

MadSci
Member

Posts: 226
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 02-16-2009 04:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MadSci     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Jerry, could you be so kind as to forward those images to me as well please?

My email is loeg1@yahoo.com

Thanks!

------------------
Cheers!

MadSci

Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member

Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 02-16-2009 03:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Meek:
Also, if you happen to be the protagonist of a bad 80's movie and have befriended a robot, the thermal curtains can be made to fail in plot-accelerating ways.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one screaming, "RTLS! RTLS! Or do a TAL, or AOA!..."

All times are CT (US)

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