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156-foot-long solid rocket motor produces 4 million pounds of thrust

156-foot-long solid rocket motor produces 4 million pounds of thrust
Source: interestingengineering
Author: @IntEngineering
Published: 7/3/2025

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Northrop Grumman successfully conducted a full-scale static fire test of NASA’s Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) solid rocket motor, the world’s largest segmented solid rocket motor built for human spaceflight. The 156-foot-long, five-segment booster produced over 4 million pounds of thrust during a two-minute test, monitored by more than 700 data channels. This new booster features a composite carbon fiber case, updated propellant formulation, and advanced components, resulting in over 10 percent increased performance compared to the current five-segment Space Launch System (SLS) booster. The enhanced efficiency allows the booster to deliver an additional five metric tons of payload to lunar orbit, a critical capability for deep space missions. The BOLE booster development, initiated in 2017, aims to replace aging components no longer in production while aligning with commercial manufacturing standards and supporting a U.S.-based supply chain. Northrop Grumman leveraged its extensive experience from previous NASA programs, including

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energyrocket-propulsionsolid-rocket-motorcomposite-materialsspace-launch-systemaerospace-engineeringcarbon-fiber-composites