3 ms·
Typically the first stage is destroyed during impact with the water(or ground). The Shuttle SRBs were generally recovered undamaged, but relied on large parachu
by neurotech1 14y ago
Typically the first stage is destroyed during impact with the water(or ground). The Shuttle SRBs were generally recovered undamaged, but relied on large parachutes and were towed back using a specialized ship.
SpaceX Grasshopper avoids either destroying the first stage, or a labor intensive and expensive recovery process.
- stcredzero 14y agoThe SRBs were generally recovered bent or squished. There was actually a machine to bend the stack segments back to round.
- neurotech1 14y agoDo you have a reference for that? I thought the SRB segments are quite structurally strong and the parachutes quite large and effective.
- stcredzero 14y ago> Do you have a reference for that? No, but I'm sure I read that right and the machine existed. > I thought the SRB segments are quite structurally strong and the parachutes quite large and effective. They are, but the stresses are large, the diameter is large, and the requirements quite stringent. If a casing is out of round by a small fraction, this might still cause the o-rings to not be pressed against the casings tightly enough.