Using Marshall-developed convergent spray technology, they atomized epoxy and different filler materials to create an environmentally friendly ablative insulation material.
Through a Space Act Agreement in 1993, Marshall partnered with the United Technologies subsidiary, USBI, of Huntsville, Alabama, to develop an alternative to the old insulating spray. Adding to the downside, two of the nine ingredients were harmful to the environment. In addition to this drawback, the strength of the material was difficult to regulate, so it often chipped off during flight and splashdown, when the reusable boosters are dropped into the sea. The materials were costly, and if the application was interrupted or not completed within the 5-hour window, the batch was lost. The process involved mixing nine chemicals into an adhesive, and then, acting quickly during a 5-hour window, applying the material. To protect this important equipment, in the 1980s, engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center developed a spray-on insulating process that was applied to the boosters’ forward assembly, systems tunnel covers, and aft skirt. The heat generated by wind resistance and engine exhaust during the launch of a space shuttle is potentially damaging to the casings on the solid rocket boosters, which provide over two-thirds of the initial thrust needed to propel the spacecraft into orbit.
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