Author Topic: LIVE: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES  (Read 48791 times)

Online Chris Bergin

LIVE thread for the QM-1 test firing.
Article for the test:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/03/qm-1-shake-utah-two-minutes-thunder/

---

This has been a huge process. Now we have a confirmed solution and schedule.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/12/qm-1-date-sls-joy-solid-solution/ - many thanks to Philip Sloss for getting the quotes from Todd May.

I really recommend reading this one for background too:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/09/atk-making-progress-srb-propellant-void-issue/
« Last Edit: 03/11/2015 01:45 pm by Chris Bergin »
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline GaryS

  • Member
  • Posts: 31
  • Argentina and USA
  • Liked: 6
  • Likes Given: 14
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #1 on: 12/23/2014 08:38 pm »
Great news. Really looking forward to a return to testing and I'm glad they have all that schedule flexibility.

Offline sdsds

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • “With peace and hope for all mankind.”
  • Seattle
  • Liked: 2050
  • Likes Given: 1962
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #2 on: 12/23/2014 08:52 pm »
“So we finally were able to pour a new segment with this new process – it’s the cleanest we’ve ever seen''

Good news indeed!
— 𝐬𝐝𝐒𝐝𝐬 —

Offline BrightLight

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1381
  • Northern New Mexico
  • Liked: 312
  • Likes Given: 924
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #3 on: 12/23/2014 09:49 pm »
Excellent new and
 this site has the clearest, most complete coverage of space developments on the web!

Offline rayleighscatter

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1098
  • Maryland
  • Liked: 565
  • Likes Given: 238
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #4 on: 12/24/2014 01:06 am »
It's good to see the way the void issue is being dealt with. "We can do this better" isn't the booster program of the 1980's.

Offline Bubbinski

Many thanks to Philip Sloss.

I know where I'll be on March 11th.  Promontory here I come!
« Last Edit: 12/24/2014 01:41 pm by Chris Bergin »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline newpylong

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1499
  • Liked: 200
  • Likes Given: 343
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #6 on: 01/15/2015 05:05 pm »
The final segment of the full-scale version of a five-segment solid rocket motor for SLS completed preparations Dec. 15 at ATK's facility in Promontory, Utah. After technicians installed instrumentation, the segment was transported to ATK's test area.

There, it is being integrated with the other segments for the first booster qualification test firing, scheduled for March.

(Image credit: ATK)


Offline Ben the Space Brit

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7206
  • A spaceflight fan
  • London, UK
  • Liked: 806
  • Likes Given: 900
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #7 on: 01/16/2015 09:09 am »
So, what is the difference between these units and the 5-segs tested as part of the Ares-I program a few years back?
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

~*~*~*~

The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Offline newpylong

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1499
  • Liked: 200
  • Likes Given: 343
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #8 on: 01/16/2015 05:43 pm »
So, what is the difference between these units and the 5-segs tested as part of the Ares-I program a few years back?

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/12/qm-1-date-sls-joy-solid-solution/

Offline rayleighscatter

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1098
  • Maryland
  • Liked: 565
  • Likes Given: 238
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #9 on: 02/17/2015 02:01 pm »
Marshall recently released a video of the booster production.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0BgLPq6PkE[/youtube]

Online Chris Bergin

Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #10 on: 03/04/2015 10:42 pm »
Making this the update thread for this test.

The largest, most powerful booster ever built for NASA's new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), will fire up for a ground test at 11:30 a.m. EDT (9:30 a.m. MDT) Wednesday, March 11, at Orbital ATK Propulsion Systems’ test facilities in Promontory, Utah.

NASA Television will air a NASA Social on Tuesday, March 10 and the test on Wednesday.

The two-minute static test is a significant milestone for the SLS as part of NASA’s journey to Mars, and follows years of development. It is one of two ground tests to qualify the booster for flight. A second test is planned for early 2016. Once qualification is complete, the hardware will be ready to help send the rocket, along with NASA’s Orion spacecraft, on its first flight test.

Media events before and after the test include:

Tuesday, March 10 (all times are listed as EDT):

    10 a.m. – Media tour of Orbital ATK facilities to see how the world’s most powerful booster is made
    3 p.m. – NASA TV airs NASA Social with agency and Orbital ATK representatives
    4:30 p.m. – Media interviews with NASA and Orbital ATK representatives

Wednesday, March 11

    7 a.m. – Media availability in front of the booster before test with NASA and Orbital ATK representatives
    9 a.m. – All media must be present at the Orbital ATK lobby for transportation to the press site
    11 a.m. – NASA TV begins coverage of SLS booster test
    12:45 p.m. – Post-test media availability for on-site media (not on NASA TV)
    Approximately 1:30 p.m. – post-test motor viewing approximately two hours after the test
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Generic Username

  • Elite Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 962
    • Aerospace Projects Review
  • Liked: 30
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #11 on: 03/06/2015 03:07 pm »
This past evening (March 5) ATK held an open house for the local community to come and take a close up look at the motor, and to get information about environmental concerns about the test (there are none, but there was someone who went bonkers a few years back…). I attended and took a number of photos http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=28281 of the motor and other stuff. This was one of those cases where it would have been better to get *more distance* from the subject; but you make do with what ya got.



"US Spacecraft Projects" and "US Launch Vehicle Projects"
aerospaceprojectsreview.com

Offline Oli

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2467
  • Liked: 605
  • Likes Given: 60
Re: QM-1 Test Date Set: SLS Program Joy with Solid Solution
« Reply #12 on: 03/08/2015 07:42 am »
Marshall recently released a video of the booster production.

Starting at "Motor Segment Castable Inhibitor Preperation" (0:45) they put a lot of tubes on the cast propellant and then apply an inhibitor. What is the purpose of this?
« Last Edit: 03/08/2015 07:42 am by Oli »

Online AnalogMan

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3430
  • Cambridge, UK
  • Liked: 1599
  • Likes Given: 50
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #13 on: 03/08/2015 01:00 pm »
Marshall recently released a video of the booster production.

Starting at "Motor Segment Castable Inhibitor Preperation" (0:45) they put a lot of tubes on the cast propellant and then apply an inhibitor. What is the purpose of this?

After the propellant is cast, the top surface needs to be prepared and levelled before the inhibitor layer is poured.  This is done by placing "inhibitor depression mold plates" on top of the cast propellant - these are the multiple segments you see in the video.  As the plates are depressed to form a smooth propellant surface at the correct height, excess propellant oozes up into the white tubes built into the plates.

The propellant is partially cured (44 hrs at 135°F), at which point the tubes with excess propellant are removed along with the plates.  The remaining "stubs" of propellant from the tubes are shaved flush with the rest of the surface formed by the mold plates.  The inhibitor layer is applied and final curing of the the whole assembly takes place (52 hrs at 135°F, followed by a minimum 24 hr cool to 60°F or less).

Inhibitor layers are only applied to the aft faces of the forward and center segments.  It stops the propellant prematurely burning down these surfaces (the joints between segments) during booster operation - you want the burn to take place only on the inner core surfaces.
« Last Edit: 03/08/2015 02:39 pm by AnalogMan »

Offline guru

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • Liked: 78
  • Likes Given: 33
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #14 on: 03/08/2015 09:51 pm »
Is there a good (or even barely acceptable) location to view this test firing for the general public - just in case you aren't a member of the media or an ATK employee?

Offline rayleighscatter

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1098
  • Maryland
  • Liked: 565
  • Likes Given: 238
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #15 on: 03/08/2015 10:29 pm »
Is there a good (or even barely acceptable) location to view this test firing for the general public - just in case you aren't a member of the media or an ATK employee?
Quote
A public viewing area is available along State Road 83 North approximately 20 miles west of Corinne, Utah (see map – follow directions to Promontory). The gate to the public viewing area opens at 7 a.m. Mar. 11. Overflow parking is available if needed.
http://www.orbitalatk.com/rocket-test

Offline guru

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • Liked: 78
  • Likes Given: 33
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #16 on: 03/09/2015 02:59 am »
Is there a good (or even barely acceptable) location to view this test firing for the general public - just in case you aren't a member of the media or an ATK employee?
Quote
A public viewing area is available along State Road 83 North approximately 20 miles west of Corinne, Utah (see map – follow directions to Promontory). The gate to the public viewing area opens at 7 a.m. Mar. 11. Overflow parking is available if needed.
http://www.orbitalatk.com/rocket-test

Oh, thank you Rayleighscatter.  I thought I had read that there was a viewing site somewhere, but I couldn't find it using a web search.

Offline collectSPACE

  • The Source for Space History & Artifacts
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1874
  • Houston, TX
    • collectSPACE
  • Liked: 287
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #17 on: 03/09/2015 02:49 pm »
History behind the hardware: the QM-1 SLS booster is comprised of case parts that flew on 23 space shuttle missions dating back 30 years:

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-030915a-sls-qm1-booster-test.html

The oldest QM-1 component helped to launch the space shuttle Challenger nearly 30 years ago.

Offline Panner

  • Member
  • Posts: 1
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #18 on: 03/10/2015 12:19 pm »
Quote
A public viewing area is available along State Road 83 North approximately 20 miles west of Corinne, Utah (see map – follow directions to Promontory). The gate to the public viewing area opens at 7 a.m. Mar. 11. Overflow parking is available if needed.
http://www.orbitalatk.com/rocket-test
[/quote]

Is this the location for the public viewing area? The map isn't very clear. 
41.638944, -112.424622
I've got a 4 hour drive from Idaho tomorrow morning.  Just want to be sure I know where I'm going.  Thanks!

Online mtakala24

Re: QM-1 SLS Booster Test - March 11, 2015 - UPDATES
« Reply #19 on: 03/10/2015 05:10 pm »
Can someone give a UTC time for the test?

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1