Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Decelerator Subsystem Drop Test 3 - Anatomy of a failureA test failure dramatically points out a design weakness or the limits of the material in the test article. In a low budget test program, with a very limited number of tests, a test failure sparks supreme efforts to investigate, analyze, and/or explain the anomaly and to improve the design such that the failure will not recur. The third air drop of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Recovery System experienced such a dramatic failure. On air drop 3, the 54-ft drogue parachute was totally destroyed 0.7 sec after deployment. The parachute failure investigation, based on analysis of drop test data and supporting ground element test results is presented. Drogue design modifications are also discussed.
Document ID
19790042626
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Runkle, R. E. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, Ala., United States)
Woodis, W. R. (Martin Marietta Aerospace Denver, Colo., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1979
Subject Category
Space Transportation
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 79-0431
Meeting Information
Meeting: Aerodynamic Decelerator and Balloon Technology Conference