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Author
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Topic: Solid rockets recovery vs. weight savings
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Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1306
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 12-02-2009 09:10 AM
   
Are the solid rocket boosters on the last few shuttle flights going to be recovered? If they are not going to be re-flown, why not just let them sink? How many flight worthy sets of boosters do we have? It seems to me you would be able to get at least 1,000 lbs. more payload delivered to ISS without parachutes installed. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 12-04-2009 01:31 PM
The casting segments for the four segment SRBs can still be utilized for Ares I and V. Granted ATK is going to be making some newer casting segments for the Ares program, but they can still get some use out of the older motor casings as needed if there is still enough service life left in them.Even when the SRBs were redesigned after Challenger, they still utilized the original casting segments after the field joints were redesigned and manufactured. Besides, while getting additional lift out of the SRBs by leaving the chutes off might seem like a good idea, they would still have to be certified that way and as such it really isn't a cost savings to do that, not with only five flights left. You can't just take the chutes off and assume they are going to perform the same, or not cause any problems that weren't forseen prior to the change. |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1306
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 12-12-2009 03:45 PM
Yes! Jay your right. It would not be worth the effort to re certify everything for just a few flights.I was just trying to think of ways to get the most bang for the buck. | |
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