Re: OT Space Shuttle question

On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:47:58 -0400, Stuart Wheaton
<sdwheaton@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

etpm@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Whenever the launch is shown there is a shot of the exhaust coming out
of the rockets. And there is always in the shot a device that shoots
out sparks horizontally. What is the spark shower for?
Eric

Those are Hydrogen Burn Off Initiators.

They are meant to keep leaking or unburned hydrogen fuel from a failed
engine start from accumulating to explosive levels.

Good Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFXVxc6ms1U

Stuart
Thanks Stuart. I always figured that they couldn't possibly be for
lighting the engines. If they were, then they would need to be
blasting off with the shuttle. Either that, or some astronaut would
need to go on an EVA with a striker. I can just see this poor
spacesuited figure holding a striker around the edge of a rocket
nozzle.
Eric
.

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