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From: lmc@cisden.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Good Shuttle News
Message-ID: <495@cisden.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 8-Feb-86 23:49:34 EST
Article-I.D.: cisden.495
Posted: Sat Feb  8 23:49:34 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Feb-86 20:55:06 EST
References: <681@ihwpt.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: ConTel Information Systems, Denver
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> (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