I provisionally agree with you. But the steel segments cannot be easily or cheaply produced anymore. They will have to go to composites if this vehicle ends up going more than 9 or 10 launches - the steel segments will be used up. Besides; it's hard to resist the performance increase the proposed 'Dark Knights' solid boosters will bring.
Quote from: MATTBLAK on 06/30/2017 11:23 pmI provisionally agree with you. But the steel segments cannot be easily or cheaply produced anymore. They will have to go to composites if this vehicle ends up going more than 9 or 10 launches - the steel segments will be used up. Besides; it's hard to resist the performance increase the proposed 'Dark Knights' solid boosters will bring.Is it really impossible to restart steel casing production? I guess if its significantly cheaper to produce composites...
And yes, there are no swooshes on the actual SLS boosters.
Inside look: technicians inspect an EM-2 @NASA_SLS booster segment after it has been cast with propellant prior to being x-rayed to ensure zero defects.