|
*** Hey Google, the Moonrovers Prize was MY idea!!! *** An aborted Ares-1
launch may KILL dozens persons You remember the Challenger accident in 1986 when seven Shuttle astronauts was killed in the explosion of the ET due to an SRB's flame leak. It was a big tragedy itself, but it could be WORSE if happened at lower altitude with the SRBs full of propellent and out of control. This hasn't happened since the Challenger was at 14 km. and T +74.6 sec. when the ET burned in an explosion, that means the SRB (that has a 123 seconds max burning time) was close to be empty of propellent and, anyhow, without enough propellent to "fly" too away from the Shuttle's trajectory. Also,
the Shuttle's SRBs are relatively safer since they are joined to
the ET until they are jettisoned at 45 km. of altitude, but...
WHAT
may happen if the Ares-1 launch ABORTS
at LOW
altitude after lift-off and its (single
and not joined) more powerful SRB-5 will go out
of control
with the max
load of propellent
and no
way to shut down it???
• the Ares-1 has a perfect lift-off and leaves the launch pad • after a dozen seconds a malfunction happens in the rocket-payload stack • the Orion's LAS (launch abort system) goes in action and save the astronauts • the Ares-1 goes out of control with (nearly) its max load of propellent • since the Ares-1 SRB-5 is a solid propellent motor there is no way to shut down it • after few seconds of raw flight the SRB loses the 2nd stage and its attitude controls • then, the giant ICBM-like SRB-5 motor (full of propellent) goes where it wants!!! But... WHERE and HOW MUCH AWAY an (out of control) SRB-5 can go??? The max altitude range of a Shuttle's SRB is 45 km. while the CLV and Ares-1 SRBs are planned to be jettisoned at 50-55 km. but, ALL these figures, refer to an SRB launched WITH a payload on its side or top and NOT to an aborted launch's SRB that flys ALONE and with NO upperstages' mass nor payload that may BRAKE its flight and speed!!! Just look at the Florida's map below to know the flight range of an aborted launch SRB. If we consider ONLY the (minimum) Shuttle/CLV/Ares-1 "braked" flight range (45-55 km.) the SRB-5 could fall like a SCUD on any KSC building (the launch pad, the mission control center, the VAB, etc.) or any other (of several thousands) building or infrastructure (inhabited buildings, highways, schools, ships, airports, oil depots, etc.) in a 45-55 km. range that includes locations like Titusville, Merrit Island and Cocoa Beach. But an SRB-5 has the dimensions and the propellent of an ICBM, so, its REAL flight range (WITHOUT any "braking" payload or upperstages' mass) could be 100-200 km. or MORE including locations like De Land, Daytona Beach, Sanford, Kissimmee, DisneyWorld/Epcot, Melbourne and Orlando!!! ...or (maybe) it could fly to Georgia and Alabama... That's, probably, the reason why Wernher Von Braun was AGAINST the solid boosters used for manned launches and why I think that a rocket made with liquid engines (that always can be shut down!) while is SAFE for the astronauts (thanks to the Orion LAS) should be VERY MUCH SAFER for the peoples inside and (200+ km.) around the KSC. [update] Some answers to questions posted on forums and blogs where I talk of that: • not seen any RSS in action in the Challenger's accident, since, as anyone can see from the accident's images, the SRBs gone free where they wanted to go... probably the RSS was activated but had a malfunction (that's exactly like don't have them) • the liquid engines' safety systems are simpler and safer since they only needs to close the propellents' valves to stop the engines' burn • the TWO safety systems (explosives AND fuel valves off) of a liquid rocket always are better and safer than one • an SRB is so powerful that, at some altitudes, its inertia could be enough to fall dozens km. from the launch pad • the expected increase of rockets launches with SRB (especially with SINGLE boosters) will increase the probability that, an accident like this, will happen (also the Challenger's SRB-leak and Columbia's foam loss was "improbable" and "unexpected" events before they really happened) • all my articles have the purpose to evidence problems to find better and safer solutions [update] Further data about the Challenger accident: at T +75 sec. (half second after the ET explosion) the Mission Control spokesman Steve Nesbitt said "Velocity 2,900 feet per second (1,977 mph). Altitude nine nautical miles." then, 3,182 kmh then, the separated SRBs' speed, not joined to any mass, was probably over 4,000 kmh the RSS was activated at T +110 seconds (then, 35 seconds after the ET explosion) flying alone at 4,000 kmh the SRBs can cover up to 39 km. in 35 seconds, or 60+ km. adding the inertia, then (with a bad traiectory, of course) enough to reach Titusville... just think that an SRB.5 should have much more power than a standard SRB, will fly at 20% higher speed than Shuttle and, while separated from the 2nd stage in a (possible) Ares-1 accident, it could fly free (and alone) at every altitude...
<<
Back |
|
|
|
Copyright © Gaetano Marano - All rights reserved |
|
|
