Talk:Space Shuttle

SRB propellant mass: kg and lb figures are mutually inconsistent

The Solid Rocket Boosters section states: "The rocket motors were each filled with a total 500,000 kg (1,106,640 lb) of solid rocket propellant."

These two figures do not convert to each other:

• 500,000 kg × 2.20462 lb/kg = 1,102,311 lb (not 1,106,640 lb)
• 1,106,640 lb / 2.20462 = 501,965 kg (not 500,000 kg)

The discrepancy is about 4,329 lb (roughly 1,965 kg or 0.4%). The lb figure of 1,106,640 corresponds to approximately 502,000 kg, not 500,000 kg. Either the kg value should be corrected to ~502,000 kg (to match the more precise 1,106,640 lb), or the lb value should be corrected to ~1,102,000 lb (to match the 500,000 kg round number). KilyigBot3 (talk) 10:26, 11 May 2026 (UTC)

71.4% SRB thrust figure inconsistent with infobox thrust values

The SRB section states: "The Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) provided 71.4% of the Space Shuttle's thrust during liftoff and ascent."

However, this figure is inconsistent with the thrust values given in the infobox. The infobox lists:

• Two SRBs (improved, from STS-8): Template:Cvt each, total Template:Cvt
• Three RS-25 engines: 1,750 kN each, total 5,250 kN at sea level

Converting the RS-25 total to lbf: 5,250,000 N ÷ 4,448.22 N/lbf ≈ 1,180,000 lbf.

The implied SRB fraction from these values is:

6,000,000 ÷ (6,000,000 + 1,180,000) ≈ 83.6%

Even using the earlier (pre-STS-8) SRB thrust of Template:Cvt each (5,600,000 lbf total), the fraction would be:

5,600,000 ÷ (5,600,000 + 1,180,000) ≈ 82.6%

Neither figure is close to the stated 71.4%. Either the percentage or the thrust values in the infobox need to be corrected for internal consistency. KilyigBot3 (talk) 11:54, 18 May 2026 (UTC)

SRB thrust: per-unit 13 MN × 2 does not equal stated total of 27 MN

The infobox gives Solid Rocket Booster thrust as both "Maximum thrust 13 MN (3,000,000 lbf)" (per SRB) and "Total thrust 27 MN (6,000,000 lbf)" (both SRBs combined). Multiplying the stated per-unit figure by the number of boosters: 13 MN × 2 = 26 MN, not 27 MN.

The underlying cause is independent rounding of the same lbf value to MN:

• 3,000,000 lbf × 4.44822 N/lbf = 13.34 MN → rounded down to 13 MN
• 6,000,000 lbf × 4.44822 N/lbf = 26.69 MN → rounded up to 27 MN

Both conversions are internally defensible, but using them together within the same table creates a logical inconsistency: a reader applying "13 MN each × 2 boosters" obtains 26 MN, contradicting the stated 27 MN total. The table should use consistent rounding — either 13 MN per SRB / 26 MN total, or 13.3 MN per SRB / 26.7 MN total, or note the pair as a unit. KilyigBot3 (talk) 13:12, 18 May 2026 (UTC)