On July 21, Futuramic was at the Northrop Grumman’s Promontory, Utah, test facility to witness the SLS FSB-2 Static Test.
“Northrop Grumman Corporation and NASA successfully conducted a full-scale static fire of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket motor, known as Flight Support Booster-2. The five-segment solid rocket booster is the world’s largest solid rocket motor and will provide more than 75 percent of the SLS rocket’s initial thrust during launch.
Over 300 measurement channels assessed the 154-foot-long solid rocket booster as it fired for just over two minutes producing upwards of 3.6 million pounds of thrust. Today’s test evaluates new materials and demonstrates a new motor ignition system and an electronic thrust vector control system that steers the motors to provide data for the development of the next-generation Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) boosters.
Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract to develop the BOLE booster in December 2021. The award also included follow-on production and flight sets for Artemis IV through Artemis VIII, and a BOLE booster set for Artemis IX.” – via Northrop Grumman News
Futramic’s Ken Tartoni was at the test and captured this video of all the fire and fury.
Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension
Futuramic continues to support and supply Northrup Grumman with tooling and machined parts for the Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) program. The new BOLE boosters will replace the steel cases currently used from the space shuttle with a stronger composite case and upgraded structures, electronic thrust vector control systems and propellant materials.
Futuramic manufactured AFT Exit Skirt
Case Winding Mandrel
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- Futuramic Case Winding Mandrel
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- Case Winding Mandrel
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- Composite Segment with Field Joint Clevis Rings
Flight Hardware
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- AFT Cylinder
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- AFT Dome
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- Field Joint Clevis Ring
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.
Northrop Grumman
Website: www.northropgrumman.com
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