knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen) (02/06/86)
Some positive news items I got yesterday (Wed): (1) The SRB destruct charges only blow off the nozzle and front end, thus relieving and balancing the pressure, which stops the rocket but leaves most of it intact. Thus NASA hopes to retrieve the whole thing (both) in on piece, including the suspected leaky seam. At least one SRB is believed located in 1000 feet of water. (2) An amateur photo shows a major leakage plume on the left SRB as it leaves the fireball. I can't call this "definite confirmation" of a PRE-explosion leak as the CBS newscaster did -- that these rockets held together at all after the blast is impressive. (3) Newsweek claims that each SRB has its own limited guidance and steering system, so that the left SRB would fly resonably straight even with a major leak in the side. I'm surprised to hear this. Can anyone in the know comment? (4) NASA has already retrieved most of the tank destruct ordnance, unexploded. Not only does this relieve this system of blame, but points out the impressive safety of explosives that were not touched off by the tank explosion and fire. (However, the recovered stuff was the deto-cord that rips the tanks open, not the intertank charge that mixes the two fuels (I think). I'll be really satisfied when those charges are found). (5) The Newsweek article has some speculations that haven't been on the net yet. I didn't find them very likely, but you should check them out & judge for yourselves. 104% for space exploration -- mike k
lmc@cisden.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney) (02/09/86)
> (1) The SRB destruct charges only blow off the nozzle and > front end, thus relieving and balancing the pressure, > which stops the rocket but leaves most of it intact. > Thus NASA hopes to retrieve the whole thing (both) > in on piece, including the suspected leaky seam. > At least one SRB is believed located in 1000 feet of water. Where does this "news" come from? Its wrong - the destruct charges split the casing into two pieces longitudinally. Maybe the data is getting confused. After the SRB is released, the top cone of the SRB (called the "frustrum", since its tip has already been released) deploys the drogue chute to slow and stabilize the SRB. When a barometric switch says it is time, the frustrum is blown off, allowing the main chutes to deploy. The frustrum descends on the drogue chute; it is recovered also. During descent, the bottom third of the engine cone is also detached. At no time is the firing chamber of the SRB opened at either end (more then the motor opening itself). During normal operation, separation is initiated in the SRB by the decline of exhaust pressure, so that there is no need to "reduce the pressure" afterwards. By the way, an excellent book (that I just purchased today, spurred on by the contents of this newsgroup) that explains more than you will ever want to know about the shuttle and its operations and a lot more is "Space Technology", by Dr. Joseph Angelo, who is a Major in the Air Force, PhD in Nuclear Engineering, Chairmen of Space Technology at Florida Institute of Technology, and Chief of Electro-optics in the AF Techical Operations Center, Patrick AFB. (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., $14.95, ISBN 0-671-60945- 9, 1983 (paperback). I got it in a B. Dalton's. Lyle McElhaney ...hao!cisden!lmc