The Space Shuttle is the first manned space vehicle to be launched using solid propellant boosters- the largest operational solid rockets to be flown and recovered. Two of these boosters are used on each Space Shuttle, and are separated in parallel following burnout. The flight software used to prepare for and control the separation events has been designed to maximize the likelihood of safely separating the boosters for both nominal and abort modes and minimize degradation to ascent performance for the nominal mode. This requires that separation not occur until conditions are safe for separation. A principal consideration is assuring that the booster thrust at separation be less than the maximum allowable for clean disengagement of the forward attach fitting between the boosters and external tank. In addition, sensor accuracy, hardware failures, provision for automatically inhibiting separation, and flight control considerations must be included. This paper details these considerations and how they are implemented in the Space Shuttle flight software. Many of these facets may be applicable to future launch vehicles, especially those that are Shuttle-derived.
Space Shuttle flight software design considerations for SRB separation
Entwurfsbetrachtungen fuer die Flugsoftware der Raumfaehre bezueglich der Abtrennung der Feststoffrakete
AIAA-Papers ; Jan ; 1-10
1988
10 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 4 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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