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RSRM Nozzle Anomalous Throat Erosion Investigation OverviewIn September, 1996, anomalous pocketing erosion was observed in the aft end of the throat ring of the nozzle of one of the reusable solid rocket motors (RSRM 56B) used on NASA's space transportation system (STS) mission 79. The RSRM throat ring is constructed of bias tape-wrapped carbon cloth/ phenolic (CCP) ablative material. A comprehensive investigation revealed necessary and sufficient conditions for occurrence of the pocketing event and provided rationale that the solid rocket motors for the subsequent mission, STS-80, were safe to fly. The nozzles of both of these motors also exhibited anomalous erosion similar to, but less extensive than that observed on STS-79. Subsequent to this flight, the investigation to identify both the specific causes and the corrective actions for elimination of the necessary and sufficient conditions for the pocketing erosion was intensified. A detailed fault tree approach was utilized to examine potential material and process contributors to the anomalous performance. The investigation involved extensive constituent and component material property testing, pedigree assessments, supplier audits, process audits, full scale processing test article fabrication and evaluation, thermal and thermostructural analyses, nondestructive evaluation, and material performance tests conducted using hot fire simulation in laboratory test beds and subscale and full scale solid rocket motor static test firings. This presentation will provide an over-view of the observed anomalous nozzle erosion and the comprehensive, fault-tree based investigation conducted to resolve this issue.
Document ID
19990099259
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Clinton, R. G., Jr.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Wendel, Gary M.
(Thiokol Propulsion United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1998
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: Rocket Nozzle Technology
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Country: United States
Start Date: March 15, 1998
End Date: March 20, 1998
Sponsors: Department of the Navy, NASA Headquarters, Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS8-38100
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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