🚀 go-pugleaf

Just a few numbers to give an idea of the size of the explosive nuts used 
in the SRB hold-down posts (from memory from _Pyrotechnics in Industry_):

4 per SRB, each nut is 3.5" internal diameter, has a tensile strength of
over 1,000,000 lbs, and has 2 explosive charges, each with 2 detonators.

The two charges are diametrically opposite to each other in (deliberatly)
weakend parts of the nut. Most of the stress in such a nut in longitudinal, 
not circumferential, hence the ability to deliberately weaken the nut along
its circumference. Only one of the charges has to go off to release the nut;
in practice both charges never fire at exactly the same time anyway.
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Stuart Warmink, Whippany, NJ, USA  |  sw@cbnewsl.ATT.COM  |  Pretentious? Moi?
-------------------------> My opinions are just that <------------------------