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A History of Aerospace Problems, Their Solutions, Their Lessons

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A History of Aerospace Problems, Their Solutions, Their Lessons NASA Technical Paper 3653 A History of Aerospace Problems, Their Solutions, Their Lessons R.S. Ryan September 1996 NASA Technical Paper 3653 A History of Aerospace Problems, Their Solutions, Their Lessons R.S. Ryan Marshall Space Flight Center ° MSFC, Alabama National Aeronautics and Space Administration Marshall Space Flight Center ° MSFC, Alabama 35812 September 1996 NASA Technical Paper 3653 A History of Aerospace Problems, Their Solutions, Their Lessons R.S. Ryan Marshall Space Flight Center ,, MSFC, Alabama National Aeronautics and Space Administration Marshall Space Flight Center • MSFC, Alabama 35812 September 1996 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I° INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... II. GENERAL .............................................................................................. A. Why Study Problems .............................................................................. 2 B. Classification of Problems ........................................................................ 11 C. Pictorial of Problems .............................................................................. 13 III. AEROSPACE PROJECT/PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT ........................................ 13 A. Redstone and Jupiter .............................................................................. 13 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 13 2. Evolution/Creativity/Innovation ............................................................. 18 3. Problem Examples ............................................................................ 21 B. Saturn/Saturn Apollo/Skylab Launch Vehicles ................................................. 25 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 25 2. Evolution/Creativity/Innovation ............................................................. 34 C. HEAO ............................................................................................... 36 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 36 2. Evolution/Innovations/Creativity ............................................................ 37 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 37 D. IUS/PAM-S/TOS .................................................................................. 40 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 40 2. Creativity/Innovations ........................................................................ 40 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 40 E. Skylab, America's First Space Station .......................................................... 42 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 42 2. Evolution, Innovation, Creativity ........................................................... 46 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 48 F. Space Shuttle ....................................................................................... 51 1. Space Shuttle System ......................................................................... 51 a. Characteristics .............................................................................. 51 b. Evolution/Creativity/Innovation ......................................................... 54 c. Problems .................................................................................... 60 d. Future Implications ........................................................................ 62 2. Space Shuttle Main Engine ................................................................... 63 a. Characteristics .............................................................................. 63 b. Creativity/Innovation ...................................................................... 64 c. Developmental Problem Examples ...................................................... 67 3. Solid Rocket Motors/Boosters ............................................................... 93 a. Characteristics .............................................................................. 93 b. Evolution/Creativity/Innovation ......................................................... 98 c. Problem Examples ......................................................................... 98 4. Extemal Tank .................................................................................. 108 a. Characteristics .............................................................................. 108 b. Evolution/Innovation ...................................................................... 116 c. Problems .................................................................................... 116 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page G. Hubble Space Telescope .......................................................................... 122 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 122 2. Evolution/Creativity/Innovation ............................................................. 123 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 126 H. Spacelab ............................................................................................. 133 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 133 2. Evolution/Creativity/Evolution ............................................................... 139 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 139 I. International Space Station ........................................................................ 139 1. Characteristics ................................................................................. 140 2. Evolution/Innovation/Creativity ............................................................. 142 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 149 J. Titan Viking ........................................................................................ 149 K. Experiments ........................................................................................ 150 1. Safe Solar Array/Dynamic Augmentation Experiment (SAFE/DAE) .................... 150 2. Tethers in Space ............................................................................... 152 3. Problems ....................................................................................... 158 L. National Launch System/Space Transportation Main Engine (NLS/STME) ................ 161 IV. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................... 162 APPENDIX A ................................................................................................... 169 I° REDSTONE/JUPITER ................................................................................ 169 II. SATURN/SATURN APOLLO/SATURN SKYLAB .............................................. 171 III. SKYLAB SPACE STATION ......................................................................... 171 IV. SPACE SHUTI'LE SYSTEMS ...................................................................... 176 A. Space Shuttle Main Engine ....................................................................... 177 B. Solid Rocket Motor/Boosters (RSRM/RSRB) ................................................. 209 C. External Tank ....................................................................................... 213 V° HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE ..................................................................... 221 VI. SPACELAB ............................................................................................. 225 VII. TETHERS IN SPACE (TSS-1 ) ...................................................................... 225 VIII. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. ............................................................ 225 REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 230 iv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Title Page I. The dynamics of innovation ....................................................................... 3 2. Performance of an established and an invading product (burst of improvement in established product) ............................................................................. 3 . The organizational requirement for product success ............................................ 5 4. Systems approach ................................................................................... 7 5. It only hurts at resonance .......................................................................... 8 6. Design compromises ............................................................................... 9 7. So that decimal point was a fly speck! ........................................................... 9 8. Change in what specs? ............................................................................. 10 9. SSME "buzz" words ............................................................................... 10 10. Heritage .............................................................................................. 14 11. Project evolution ...................................................................................
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