Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ingr!whitehrc
From: whitehrc@ingr.com (Robert C. Whitehead)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Single SRB ignition
Keywords: new figures
Message-ID: <9634@ingr.com>
Date: 6 Apr 90 13:22:42 GMT
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, Al
Lines: 54

There's been some dicussion as to whether or not the figure
of 1+ megatons explosive potential for the Shuttle is
accurate.  So to try and lay any doubts to rest, I called
my source (aka my brother-in-law) again and asked for
clarification.

As I understand it, each SRB contains 1.1 megapounds of
propellant, for a total of 2.2 megapounds.  The ET hold
2.725 megapounds of hydrogen and oxygen for propellant.

Now, I've been _told_ that the propellant used in the SRBs
has a potential of 5:1; that is, each pound of propellant,
if it exploded completely, has the explosive force of five
pounds of TNT.  Similarly, each pound of hydrogen or oxygen
has a potential of 10:1.

Well, by my figures, that means that the propellant would
generate 11 megapounds of explosive force, and the
hydrogen and oxygen would generate 27.250 megapounds of
force, for a total of 38.250 megapounds.  Dividing by 2000,
I arrive at the figure 19,125 tons explosive force.

I'm sure you'll agree that this figure is significantly 
different.

When I pointed this out to said relative, he offered the
following qualification:

"Realize that we're talking about best-case burns, here.
If *all* the propellant and *all* the hydrogen and *all*
the oxygen ignited and burned at the same time, the
total *potential* is 1.2 megatons.  Real-world, you'd
probably get about one-tenth that, because of the difference
in burn rates."

In any event, the resulting fireball could easily reach
three miles in diameter; that's why NASA doen't normally
let anyone within twelve miles of the Shuttle when it
launches.

I asked him to check his figures; stay tuned for the answer.


 ----------------------------
| Robert C. (Bob) Whitehead  |
|         --=rcw=--          | Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville
| Direct Email Replies:      | Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are
|	ingr!b32a!rw8024!bob |  strictly mine
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