Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters Facts for Kids

The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) were like super-powerful side rockets for the Space Shuttle. They helped push the Shuttle off the ground and into space. These boosters were the strongest rocket motors ever flown! Each one gave a huge push, like 13.8 million newtons, for the first two minutes of flight. After their job was done, they would separate from the Shuttle and fall into the Atlantic Ocean. Special ships would then collect them to be used again for future missions. The new Space Launch System rocket will also use similar boosters.

Twin Solid Rocket Boosters are going to VAB

What are Space Shuttle Boosters?
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What are Space Shuttle Boosters?

The Space Shuttle had two large Solid Rocket Boosters, one on each side of the main fuel tank. They were called "solid" because their fuel was a solid material, not a liquid. Think of it like a giant firework that burns very quickly and powerfully. These boosters provided most of the push needed to lift the Space Shuttle off the launch pad.

How do Solid Rocket Boosters Work?

Each SRB was made of several parts, or segments, that were put together. Inside these segments was the solid fuel. When the Space Shuttle launched, the SRBs ignited first. They burned very brightly and loudly, creating an enormous amount of thrust. This thrust was so strong that it provided about 80% of the power needed to get the Shuttle moving upwards.

The SRBs burned for about two minutes. During this time, the Space Shuttle would reach a speed of over 4,800 kilometers per hour (3,000 miles per hour). Once their fuel was used up, the boosters would separate from the Space Shuttle. Small rockets would push them away safely.

Reusing the Boosters

After separating, the SRBs would fall back towards Earth. They had large parachutes that opened up to slow their fall. This allowed them to land gently in the Atlantic Ocean, usually about 225 kilometers (140 miles) off the coast of Florida.

Special ships from NASA would then go out to the ocean to find the boosters. Divers would connect them to the ships, and the SRBs would be towed back to Cape Canaveral. Once back on land, the boosters were cleaned, inspected, and refurbished. This meant they were prepared to be used again for another Space Shuttle mission. This reuse helped save money and resources for the space program.

Why are Solid Rocket Boosters Important?

The Solid Rocket Boosters were a key part of the Space Shuttle's success. They provided the initial, powerful push needed to overcome Earth's gravity. Without them, the Space Shuttle would not have been able to reach orbit. Their ability to be reused also made the Space Shuttle program more efficient.

The technology from the Space Shuttle SRBs is still important today. The new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which is designed for future missions to the Moon and Mars, also uses powerful solid rocket boosters that are based on the original Shuttle design. This shows how important and successful the SRB design was.

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Static test firing, 1978
Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation
SRB Diagram
Sections of the SRB filled with propellant being connected
Splashdown of the right hand SRB from the launch of STS-124.
The solid rocket boosters, jettisoned from the Space Shuttle Discovery following the launch of STS-116, floating in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral. On this occasion, the boosters landed several miles apart, but overnight winds and currents drifted them to the same location
Solid rocket booster of the STS-131 mission being recovered and transported to Cape Canaveral by the MV Freedom Star.
Camera captures grey smoke being emitted from the right-hand SRB on Space Shuttle Challenger before the start of STS-51-L.
The right SRB shows an anomalous plume at T+58.788 seconds. This plume would trigger the breakup of the vehicle 14 seconds later.
The Ares I-X prototype launches from LC-39B, 15:30 UTC, October 28, 2009 – this was as of 2016 the sole flight of a launch vehicle derived from the SRB.