{author}        National Aeronautics and Space Administration

{date}          09-Mar-2005

{description}   KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. These two bolt catchers are ready for
                installation on orbiter Discoverys External Tank. A bolt catcher
                is a vertical bolt mechanism at the forward end of the External
                Tank that attaches each booster to the tank. At approximately two
                minutes into launch, SRB separation begins when pyrotechnic
                devices fire to break the 25-inch, 62-pound steel bolts. One half
                of the bolt is caught in canister-like "bolt catchers" located on
                the tank; the other half remains with the boosters. Discovery is
                flying with a modified bolt catcher, which was upgraded from a
                two-piece welded design to a one-piece, machine-made design as
                part of NASA's effort to return to safe, reliable spaceflight.
                Eliminating the weld makes a structurally stronger bolt catcher
                design. Though the bolt catcher is mounted on the External Tank,
                it is considered part of the Solid Rocket Booster element design.
                It is built by Summa Technologies, Inc. in Huntsville, Ala.,
                insulated at Lockheed Martins Michoud Assembly Facility in New
                Orleans, and installed on the External Tank at KSC.

{highres}       3008 x 2000

{highsize}      613718

{hightype}      JPEG

{keywords}      NASA,KSC,Kennedy Space Center

{lowres}        320 x 212

{lowsize}       77727

{lowtype}       GIF

{mediumres}     1024 x 680

{mediumsize}    92719

{mediumtype}    JPEG

{number}        KSC-05PD-0380

{slideres}      120 x 108

{slidesize}     15500

{slidetype}     GIF

{tinyres}       100 x 66

{tinysize}      8288

{tinytype}      GIF

{title}         KSC-05PD-0380

{type}          Image

{end}