The Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) Main Flame Deflector (MFD) at Launch Complex 39A was instrumented with sensors to measure heat rates, pressures, and temperatures on the last three Space Shuttle launches. Because the SRB plume is hot and erosive, a robust Tungsten Piston Calorimeter was developed to compliment the measurements made by off-the-shelf sensors. Witness materials were installed and their melting and erosion response to the Mach 2 / 4500 F / 4-second duration plume was observed. The data show that the specification document used for the design of the MFD thermal protection system over-predicted heat rates by a factor of 3 and under-predicted pressures by a factor of 2. These findings will be used to baseline NASA Computational Fluid Dynamics models and develop innovative MFD designs for the Space Launch System (SLS) before this vehicle becomes operational in 2017.


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    Title :

    Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Plume Pressure and Heat Rate Measurements


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    28th AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology, Ground Testing, and Flight Testing Conference ; 2012 ; New Orleans, LA, United States


    Publication date :

    2012-06-25


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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