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From: frazier@bgsuvax.UUCP (Paul Frazier)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Shuttle engine failure on the pad
Keywords: shuttle engine failure
Message-ID: <5564@bgsuvax.UUCP>
Date: 18 Mar 90 14:39:55 GMT
References: <140@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> <231@puma.ge.com>
Reply-To: frazier@bgsuvax.UUCP (Paul Frazier)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Engulf and Devour, Inc.
Lines: 10

In article <231@puma.ge.com> jnixon@andrew.ATL.GE.COM (John F Nixon) writes:
>>What happens if one SRB ignites, but the second won't go?
>
>The orbiter/external tank/SRBs tumble over to the side due to unbalanced
>thrust.  One enormous fireball results.
>

I thought that they could "blow the lid" off of the SRBs, and thereby reduce 
their thrust to zero.  Is this true?  If it were true, they could prevent
the scenario you describe.