Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
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I emailed the author to clarify his "aluminum-based fuel" comment since I'd always thought that Thiokol, now owned by Northrop, made it's own propellant. Was it meant that just the powdered aluminum fuel component supplier was changed? He never replied. Anybody know? I hope the supplier isn't Chinese. Wouldn't that be interesting...
NASA tests a booster that produces 3 million pounds of thrust
These solid rocket boosters are a holdover from the space shuttle era.
9/2/2020
https://arstechnica.com/science/202...f-its-large-sls-side-boosters-and-it-delivers
The primary reason for Wednesday's test was that Northrop's supplier of aluminum-based fuel could no longer deliver the product. Therefore, Northrop needed to ensure that a new vendor could provide the solid rocket fuel needed for future launches of the SLS rocket beyond the first three. NASA also used the test to assess some changes to the nozzle design, said Bruce Tiller, manager of the SLS boosters office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Test at 20:00.
NASA tests a booster that produces 3 million pounds of thrust
These solid rocket boosters are a holdover from the space shuttle era.
9/2/2020
https://arstechnica.com/science/202...f-its-large-sls-side-boosters-and-it-delivers
The primary reason for Wednesday's test was that Northrop's supplier of aluminum-based fuel could no longer deliver the product. Therefore, Northrop needed to ensure that a new vendor could provide the solid rocket fuel needed for future launches of the SLS rocket beyond the first three. NASA also used the test to assess some changes to the nozzle design, said Bruce Tiller, manager of the SLS boosters office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Test at 20:00.
