Solid Rocket Motors on the move!

On October 11, crowds lined streets in Los Angeles to welcome two large Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) on their way to the California Science Center. The SRMs, donated by Northrop Grumman, have been stored at the Mojave Air and Space Port, and are the final elements of the space shuttle system to arrive at the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.  “Exactly eleven years after Endeavour’s memorable crosstown journey, we’re delighted that the public has once again demonstrated such enthusiasm for this historic arrival,” said Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center. 

The SRMs comprise the largest part of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). During the space shuttle program, twin 15-story reusable SRBs would work with the space shuttle main engine to ignite and produce more than 6-million pounds of thrust – the majority of what was needed to lift a shuttle off the launch pad. After burnout, the SRBs would be jettisoned into the ocean to be recovered, refurbished, and reused.