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From: GOT@PSUVMA.BITNET
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: re: hold down bolts
Message-ID: <4619GOT@PSUVMA>
Date: Sat, 22-Mar-86 10:18:06 EST
Article-I.D.: PSUVMA.4619GOT
Posted: Sat Mar 22 10:18:06 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Mar-86 00:38:20 EST
Expires: Sun, 6-Apr-86 00:00:00 EST
Lines: 17

There have been static firings of the Orbiters engines quit a few times.
During these tests the main engines were lit while the whole assembly
(orbiter, tank, and SRB's) was on the launch pad to measure the "twang"
of the system among other things.
     
To my knowledge it is impossible to test an SRB by igniting it on the
launch pad without actually launching.  Even if the hold down bolts could
take that much thrust, as soon as the water noise suppression system
runs out of water (only a couple of seconds) the flame from the SRB's
would probably be enough to cause catastrophic damage.  To date
there have only been seven static firings of SRB's, all of which were in
the horizontal position in special test fixtures.
     
     
Sunil Gupta
got@psuvma, s2g@psuecl