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Author
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Topic: Shuttle contingency: Failed SRB separation
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AstronautBrian
Member Posts: 287
From: Louisiana
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 10-25-2009 08:27 AM
   
I've been watching a lot of the shuttle videos on the National Space Society website lately. I was watching one last night, and the thought occured to me - what is the plan if one or both of the SRB's fail to seperate? I'm sure they would dump the tank and abort, but is there a chance they could make it to orbit and let the SRB's go with the tank? |
dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 750
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 10-25-2009 03:42 PM
I've seen a report on STS-97's close call when one of the SRB separation bolts failed to fire I think on the connection near the cone; not sure which booster. The backup fired reportedly saving the mission. What I learned it would have been a loss of crew. So, I suppose the backups would all have to misfire too to require any contingency plans to have been implemented. Any one booster connection not separating probably would be an instantaneous loss of vehicle such as 51-L when the breached SRB separated and veered into the ET. This is just my hypothesis. |
Mr Meek
Member Posts: 353
From: Chattanooga, TN
Registered: Dec 2007
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posted 10-25-2009 04:10 PM
I also think this would result in a loss of vehicle and crew. Certainly, an asymmetrical separation would cause something similar to STS-51L. Even if a booster separated at the forward connection, but failed at the aft connection, it would almost certainly rip away, taking a segment of the ET with it. The yaw induced by the drag of the booster and its eventual breakaway could conceivably turn the stack enough away from the direction of flight to cause a full breakup due to aerodynamic loads across the stack.If the entire system failed, I do not believe the SSME's have the thrust (nor does the ET have the fuel) to carry two empty SRB casings to orbit. I have no idea what the numbers would be, but I would think that even a TAL would be impossible with 2 SRBs still attached. Here's a question for those with a bit more real engineering knowledge: Theoretically, could the SRB attach points survive the 180 degree turnaround required for an RTLS? (I got my degree in armchair aerodynamics from the internet. Somehow, we didn't cover this. So, all of the above is just opinion.  ) |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-26-2009 09:48 AM
NASA defines a 'critical one' failure as one in which crew survival is questionable and the loss of a crew is highly likely.Obviously the failure of an SRB is an example. Another that I've seen mentioned is the failure of the landing gear to deploy. Are there any more and if so what? | |
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