Another Sign Of The End Of An Era | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-11.04.24

Airborne-NextGen-11.05.24

Airborne-Unlimited-11.06.24

Airborne-FlightTraining-11.07.24

Airborne-Unlimited-11.08.24

Sat, Feb 27, 2010

Another Sign Of The End Of An Era

NASA's Space Shuttle Program Successfully Conducts Final Motor Test In Utah

The final tests on a re-usable solid rocket motor for the Space Shuttle program were conduced Thursday at a NASA facility in Pomontory, Utah. The flight support motor, or FSM-17, burned for approximately 123 seconds -- the same time each reusable solid rocket motor burns during an actual space shuttle launch. Preliminary indications show all test objectives were met. After final test data are analyzed, results for each objective will be published in a NASA report.

ATK Launch Systems, a unit of Alliant Techsystems Inc., in Promontory, north of Salt Lake City, manufactures and tests the solid rocket motors.

The test - the 52nd conducted for NASA by ATK - marks the closure of a test program that has spanned more than three decades. The first test was in July 1977. The ATK-built motors have successfully launched the space shuttle into orbit 129 times.

"(Thursday's) test was a great deal more than the successful conclusion to a series of highly successful NASA/ATK-sponsored static tests that began more than three decades ago," said David Beaman, Reusable Solid Rocket Booster project manager at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The project, part of the Space Shuttle Propulsion Office, is responsible for motor design, development, manufacturing, assembly, testing and flight performance.

"These tests have built a base of engineering knowledge that continued engineering development of the reusable solid rocket motor system and the continued safe and successful launch of space shuttles," Beaman said. "They have provided an engineering model and lessons learned for additional applications in future launch systems."

The final test was conducted to ensure the safe flight of the four remaining space shuttle missions. A total of 43 design objectives were measured through 258 instrument channels during the two-minute static firing. The flight motor tested represents motors that will be used for all remaining space shuttle launches.

The space shuttle's reusable solid rocket motor is the largest solid rocket motor ever flown, the only one rated for human flight and the first designed for reuse. Each shuttle launch requires the boost of two reusable solid rocket motors to lift the 4.5-million-pound shuttle vehicle.

During space shuttle flights, solid rocket motors provide 80 percent of the thrust during the first two minutes of flight. Each motor, the primary component of the shuttle's twin solid rocket boosters, generates an average thrust of 2.6 million pounds and is just over 126 feet long and 12 feet in diameter.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 11.11.24: DRACO Returns!, Starship SIX, Piper AD Concerns

Also: X-59 Fires Up, BN2B-26 Islander Order, Plane Thief Pleads, CAE Launches Prodigy Draco Aircraft is aiming to raise $4.5 million to fund the development of its hyper short take>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 11.07.24: CFI Changes, DPE Symposium, Evektor Harmony

Also: EAA Scholarship, Keewatin Air Pilots, Bell Textron Donates, Capt. Judy Cameron Scholarship On December 1, 2024, the FAA will be finalizing major changes for current and futur>[...]

Airborne 11.06.24: Skyryse One, MASSIVE Lycoming AD, Coked Up C206

Also: Hartzell Expands, Japan V-22 Ills, RCAF H135 Deal, B-29 Doc On Tour Skyryse reservations for its Skyryse One First Edition helicopters have sold out in just six months. Early>[...]

Airborne 11.11.24: DRACO Returns!, Starship SIX, Piper AD Concerns

Also: X-59 Fires Up, BN2B-26 Islander Order, Plane Thief Pleads, CAE Launches Prodigy Draco Aircraft is aiming to raise $4.5 million to fund the development of its hyper short take>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (11.09.24)

Aero Linx: Franklin's Flying Circus Show The name Franklin has always been the name for unique and different airshow entertainment for over 55 years. Always focused on entertaining>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC