Orbital ATK technicians put final touches on @NASA_SLS boosters’ aft exit cones as we continue to prepare for the vehicle’s EM-1 mission!
Here's the next part talking engine the SLS Engine Section.
Final assembly and transportation crew pose with the 10th @NASA_SLS booster segment as it goes into storage, completing a full flight set of solid rocket boosters!
So, has it been determined what is the shelf-life of a new booster?These need to sit for 3-4 years, the next ones being built for possibly twice that.
Quote from: AncientU on 12/05/2017 10:44 pmSo, has it been determined what is the shelf-life of a new booster?These need to sit for 3-4 years, the next ones being built for possibly twice that.I don't know. The ICBMs and Ground Based Interceptors sit for a long time though. It is probably like canned food. After 100 years, you could probably eat it and be fine, but you wouldn't want to.
Quote from: ncb1397 on 12/05/2017 11:22 pmQuote from: AncientU on 12/05/2017 10:44 pmSo, has it been determined what is the shelf-life of a new booster?These need to sit for 3-4 years, the next ones being built for possibly twice that.I don't know. The ICBMs and Ground Based Interceptors sit for a long time though. It is probably like canned food. After 100 years, you could probably eat it and be fine, but you wouldn't want to.Must be some kind of date, wasn't the Ares I-X made up of expired 4 segment sections?
Quote from: JAFO on 12/06/2017 05:57 amQuote from: ncb1397 on 12/05/2017 11:22 pmQuote from: AncientU on 12/05/2017 10:44 pmSo, has it been determined what is the shelf-life of a new booster?These need to sit for 3-4 years, the next ones being built for possibly twice that.I don't know. The ICBMs and Ground Based Interceptors sit for a long time though. It is probably like canned food. After 100 years, you could probably eat it and be fine, but you wouldn't want to.Must be some kind of date, wasn't the Ares I-X made up of expired 4 segment sections?Originally shuttle RSRMs had a 5-year certified service life. From ST-117 onwards that was extended to 5.5 years for already built motors.The materials in the motor (or chemically similar materials) are used in rocket systems certified for 20+ years. A shuttle flight verification motor (FVM-2) aged 7.2 years was test fired by ATK in May 2008 for life validation purposes.Other limiting time requirements were: 1-year maximum stacked life, and 180 days max on pad.Up to 39-year old Minuteman motors (which use similar materials) have been successfully static test fired.
The EM-1 Orion stage adapter, which joins the interim cryogenic propulsion stage to the Orion spacecraft, is nearly finished. In November, engineers installed mounting brackets to hold the 13 CubeSat secondary payload dispensers and one avionics unit. After fitting the brackets, technicians flipped the adapter and installed the diaphragm. The final steps before shipping the adapter to Kennedy Space Center include installing the avionics unit, connecting cables and performing electrical tests, and mounting a hazardous gas detection tube.