SOLID ROCKET MOTOR (SRM) MATING • CLASS 1.1 / 1.3 EXPLOSIVE • ESD <10Ω • TANDEM LIFT

Hypersonic Booster Horizontal Integration Audit

Pre-test verification protocol for mating solid rocket motor booster stages to Mach 5+ hypersonic payloads, electrostatic discharge grounding grids, and crane tandem rotation safely.

Explosive Hazard Class

DoD 1.3C

HTPB Composite Propellant

ESD Ground Resistance

< 5.0 Ω

Dual Copper Grounding Clamps

Mating Concentricity

±0.25 mm

Interstage Splice Ring

Bolt Torquing Target

1,150 Nm

Calibrated Digital Wrench

Range Integration Quality Checkpoints

Explosive Siting & Quantity-Distance (Q-D) Facility Buffer Audit

DESR 6055.09 COMPLIANT

Prior to unlashing solid rocket motor stages in the horizontal integration facility (HIF), the Range Safety Officer verifies the Net Explosive Weight (NEW) calculation against inhabited building distance (IBD) arc perimeters. Non-essential personnel are evacuated outside the 1,250-foot safety radius.

Propellant NEW Weight: 18,500 lbs Class 1.3C

Minimum Public Distance: 1,250 ft Inhabited Arc

Barricaded Storage: Reinforced Earth Revetment

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Bonding & Ground Resistance Verification

MIL-STD-1542B • BONDING ≤ 10Ω

Electro-explosive devices (EEDs) and pyrotechnic staging igniters are vulnerable to stray electrostatic potentials generated by handling equipment. Dual zero-resistance copper grounding straps connect the transport trailer, crane hooks, integration cradles, and booster motor case to the facility's deep copper earth rod grid before removing igniter shorting plugs.

Earth Ground Resistance: 2.4 Ω Tested (Pass)

Relative Humidity in Bay: 45% to 55% Controlled

Igniter Shorting Clip: Red "Remove Before Flight" Tag

Tandem Crane Horizontal-to-Vertical Rotation Kinematics

SYNCHRONIZED DUAL-HOOK LIFT

Transferring the booster from horizontal road shipping configuration to the vertical launch rail involves two synchronized bridge cranes: a 50-ton head-end hoist and a 25-ton tailing hoist. Digital load cells monitor lateral sideloading on the forward trunnions, ensuring off-axis angular pull remains below 2.0 degrees during full 90-degree upending.

Trunnion Side-Load Limit: ≤ 1,200 lbs lateral shear

Hoisting Rate: 0.5 to 1.5 ft / minute

Brake Redundancy: Dual Fail-Safe Disc Brakes

Interstage Splice Ring Structural Alignment & Laser Tracking

CONCENTRICITY ≤ 0.25 MM

The titanium interstage ring mating the solid rocket booster to the hypersonic glide vehicle payload must be aligned with sub-millimeter precision. Four digital optical micrometers check circumferential runout, ensuring even compression across silicone environmental O-rings and pyrotechnic frangible joint separation nuts.

Circumferential Runout: ≤ 0.010 in (0.25 mm)

Joint Bolt Count: 48x High-Strength MP35N Studs

Ultrasonic Preload Check: Elcometer Bolt Gage Verified

Exspeedite Test Range Operations

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