Mon, Aug 16, 2010
Five-Segment Booster "Key Element" To NASA Heavy-Lift
Capability
A second fully developed Ares five-segment solid rocket motor,
known as Development Motor-2 (DM-2), will be tested in the Utah
desert by Aliant Techsystems (ATK) and NASA later this month. The
five-segment rocket motor is an upgraded version of the Shuttle's
4-segment booster, and has also been identified as a key element of
NASA's future Heavy Lift Launch vehicle.
The horizontal ground test firing is planned for August 31 at
0905 MDT in Promontory, UT. There are 53 design objectives that
will be measured by over 760 instruments during the test.
DM-2 is a "cold motor" test. That means the motor will be cooled
to 40 degrees F to measure solid rocket motor performance at low
temperature, as well as to verify design requirements of new
materials in the motor joints. These new materials will allow for
the elimination of joint heaters that were necessary in the
original 4-segment motor design. This will save significant weight,
further reduce system complexity and simplify launch operations,
while simultaneously delivering increased operating margins at
lower ambient temperatures.
Other objectives include data gathering on vital motor
upgrades such as the new insulation and motor case liner and the
redesigned nozzle which increase the robustness of the design. When
fired, the motor will produce a maximum thrust 3.6 million pounds,
or 22 million horsepower.
The cases to be tested have all previously flown on the space
shuttle, collectively launching on 57 missions.
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