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SRB Processing
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SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Solid Rocket Booster Processing
Kennedy Space Center
SRB Mechanical Engineering
NE-M7
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Shuttle Processing and Launch
Postflight Hardware Recovery
and Evaluation
KSC – Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) Processing Areas
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
KSC – Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) Processing Areas
RPSF
VABPad
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
SHUTTLELANDING
SRB RETRIEVALSHIP
HANGAR AF
RPSF
SRB STACKING
ET/SRBOPERATIONS
ETSTANDALONE
LCC
INTEGRATEDVEHICLE OPS/VAB
OffloadBuildup
HORIZONTALPAYLOAD INT
PAYLOAD FACILITIESHYPERGOLIC
FACILITY
ORBITER PROCESSINGFACILITY
Pad Ops
VERTICAL PAYLOAD INSTALLATION
Design Centers Element Refurbishment and Manufacturing Logistics and Shipping
Delivery
Offload and Inspect
Aft Booster Build
Field Joint Mate
Leak Test
Field Joint Protection System
S&A
Launch
Recovery
Disassembly and Assessment
KSC – Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) Processing Flow
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Forward Assembly and Aft Skirt arrive from SRB Element in the Assembly Refurbishment Facility (ARF) at KSC.
ARFAft Skirt Parachutes
Nose Cone
Frustum
Forward Assembly
•Nose Cone
•Frustum
•Parachutes
•Forward Skirt
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Segments arrive from ATK in Corrine, Utah in rail cars. The segments go to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at KSC.
RPSF
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
At the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF), the rail cover is removed, propellant grain & metal surfaces inspected, the segments are rotated to vertical, secured on a pallet and stored in the surge facilities.
Break-over of the forward segment from horizontal to vertical
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Aft Segment Breakover to
Vertical
AEC BreakoverAft Skirt Mate
AEC Mate
Build-up to Aft Booster
Configuration (see following charts)
Aft Booster Build-up Stand
At the RPSF, the aft booster is assembled and processed in the build-up stands. Other hardware processed in the RPSF includes:
- Stiffener Rings Assembly and Closeouts- Thermal Curtains- External Tank Assembly (ETA) ring and hardware- Thermal Protection System (TPS) closeouts- Systems tunnel and cables installation and closeouts- Heater power cable installation- Nozzle severance cable connection
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Aft Booster Build Stand
Pin Retainer Steel Strap
Cork Band
Aft Skirt Clevis
Aft Skirt Mate
The aft skirt is placed in the build-up stand and the booster segment is mated. 177 pins are installed and secured with a steel pin retainer strap. The joint is closed out with cork and RT-455 ablative compound.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Aft exit cone is assembled to the forward exit cone at the RPSF.
Aft Skirt Not Shown for Clarity
Forward Exit Cone
Aft Exit Cone
RTV Thermal Barrier
Primary Seal
Secondary Seal
Phenolic
Phenolic
AEC Mate
• Phenolic mating surfaces are primed with DC1200 primer prior to assembly.
• Primary and secondary seals (O-rings) are installed.
• Exit cone is raised on an elevator and floated on an air bearing for mating.
• The joint is bolted with 96 fasteners.
• Leak test is performed at 83 and 30 psig with the mass flow meter prior to joint RTV backfill. The joint gap is backfilled (injected) with RTV silicone sealant as part of thermal barrier system.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
If needed, the aft booster will be put into surge for storage. The SRM transporter transfers the aft booster from the RPSF to the surge or the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for the stacking operations.
• Surge buildings protect hardware from elements (rain, wind, etc.)
– Not climate controlled
• Segments have weather proof covers on top
RPSF
VAB
Surge
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The segment is connected to the beam and the 325-ton crane in the transfer isle of the VAB. Circularity measurements, tang preps, metal parts inspections, abrade J-leg, and assemble/connect curtain.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The aft booster segment is lifted from the transfer isle to the high bay of the VAB to be connected to the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The booster is bolted to the hold down post of the MLP with a frangible nut that separates at launch.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Forward Segment
Forward Center Segment
Aft Center Segment
Aft Booster
Aft Field Joint
Forward Field Joint
Center Field Joint
SRB Forward
Assembly
At KSC, the center and forward segments are stacked. When two segments are mated at KSC, this joint is called a field joint. The SRB forward assembly mated. Then, all field joints are all closed out in the VAB.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
• Field joint is a clevis and tang configuration with 177 pins
– Three alignment slots/pins ensure correct segment clocking
• Tang “capture feature” and insulation “j-leg” added during redesign
Tang
Clevis
Field Joint
Example
– Tang capture feature “captures” inner clevis leg to limit seal surface movement (joint rotation) during motor pressurization
– Insulation j-leg prohibits combustion gas from reaching seals
Capture Feature
Inner Clevis Leg
Insulation J-leg
All the field joints are configured with a tang and clevis design with a capture feature. The 3 O-rings and J-leg help prohibit a combustion gas leak at the joints.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
For a segment mate, the segment is lowered over the SRB stack. The field joint assembly fixture (FJAF) acts as a “shoehorn” to align the tang/clevis and prevent flat-on-flat metal conditions. Leak test of the joint and the vent port plug are the final acceptance of a successful joint mate.
Field joint mate with 3 feet between the segments.
Field joint mate with 1/8” between the segments.
Segment mates require a controlled environment within the curtain room. Also, the controlled area requires personnel to wear flames, eyes-only hoods, gloves and meet maximum static levels.
O-rings
FJAF
PSA Application
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Each field joint is closed out with the field joint protection system (FJPS). The FJPS provides thermal protection, weather protection and retains joint pins.
Cork
Heater Retainer Strap and Thermal
Barrier
Joint Temperature
Sensor
Joint Heater
Pin Retainer Band
RT-455 Ablative
RT-455 Ablative
Cork
Field joint after mate, before FJPS
Field joint with FJPS
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The forward assembly is mated to the forward segment and also closed out with FJPS. Since no propellant is exposed in this mate, a controlled environment is not needed.
Forward Skirt JPS
Cork Band
Forward Skirt
Fwd Segment
Pin Retainer Strap
Forward Skirt Joint
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The systems tunnel, cables, heater power cables, and linear shaped charge (LSC) are all assembled and closed out. In addition, TPS, cabling and closeouts are completed in other areas of the boosters.
Systems Tunnel Closeout LH side (fwd 3 segments)
Tunnel Cover
Cork
RT-455
Forward and Center Field Joint
Tunnel Closeout
Heater Power Cables
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
After the boosters are assembled, the external tank (ET) is then brought over from the ET check-out cell in the VAB for the ET/SRB mate.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Next, the orbiter is mated to the ET with the boosters supporting the weight of the whole shuttle.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The crawler transports the MLP and the shuttle to the pad where all processing is completed.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
After launch, the boosters separate at around L+128 seconds. The boosters continue to climb to around 42 miles high. Then, boosters tumble until the drogue shoot deploys at 1600 feet, which orientates the boosters upright. The main parachutes deploy at 6300 ft to slow down the boosters to impact the ocean at about 60 mph. Before impacting the ocean, the aft exit nozzle separates to prevent deformation on the reusable motor.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The Liberty Star and Freedom Star each retrieve a booster in the ocean to tow it back to Hanger AF at KSC.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The boosters are received at Hanger AF and evaluated for any off nominal conditions in the post-flight assessment.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAMSolid Rocket Booster ProcessingNASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Every aspect of the boosters is inspected and compared to past post-flight
data. The segments are disassembled and sent back to ATK and USA.