SRM Industrial Base Impacts of the Augustine Options

[sdsds]

The July 1, 2009 report by The Aerospace Corporation is available at http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/EELVHumanRating.pdf (and probably elsewhere). Titled, "Human-Rated Delta IV Heavy Study - Constellation Architecture Impacts", it quite plainly expresses the concern that without NASA purchasing segmented solid rocket motors something else, "will be required to sustain the viability of the U.S. SRM industrial base."  (Section 3.6) 

The Augustine Committee seems to have chosen, as an opening gambit at least, to ignore this and focus solely on costs charged to NASA.  The Obama administration isn't going to like that -- it doesn't help the overall budget to transfer costs currently bourne by the civilian space program to the national security space program.

The report makes the connection clear:  the future of the U.S. "strategic strike" capability is tied to the viability of the SRM industrial base.  The military funds programs to sustain SRM production.  NASA did so too (for segmented SRM production) during the Shuttle stand-downs.  For these programs the government pays ATK (or Aerojet) to produce nothing, but to maintain the capability to produce something.  Paying all the fixed costs but getting no marginal benefit can't be very efficient spending! 

Stopping and restarting production doesn't work because, should NASA ever cease funding segmented SRM programs, it might take "many years to reconstitute" them. 

If we must pay the high fixed costs required to produce zero segmented SRMs, the marginal cost of actually producing a few seems tempting.  Perhaps Ares I and the near-term SD-HLLV proposal are just ways to make use of the paid-for but otherwise unused segmented SRM production capability?

[tamarack]

I also noticed that in the report and agree with your conclusion, but for different reasons.

I highly doubt we've seen the last of the large diameter SRBs from ATK, but won't dismiss the possibility based on National Security needs. ATK is heavily involved with F-35 production, ammunition, scram-jet research, etc. Any one of these programs could see an increase in funding to cover projects that don't exist and to maintain production of ATK's smaller solids.

With the funds (fund transfers) already allocated, design and implementation familiarity, mature infrastructure and technology, and their usefulness in fulfilling our current and future need for Super/Heavy LVs - I think ATK's SRBs have a long future at NASA.

[Scotty]

ATK needs to get on the Direct bandwagon, and do so fast!
It is either Direct/Jupiter inline SDHLL or an all liquid Supper EELV.
It is Fish or Cut Bait time ATK.