# What's the rocket standing on?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 4, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376 "2001-05-04T18:26:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376/1 "2001-05-04T18:26:00Z")

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When a space shuttle or other big rocket is standing on the launch pad, what is supporting the weight? Can’t be the rocket nozzles…they’d crush like a beer can.  
Industrial sized hooks on the Gantry?

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**Author:** ![kmudd20001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ce73a5/32.png) [@kmudd20001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kmudd20001)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376/2 "2001-05-04T19:02:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by enolancooper \*  
> \*\*When a space shuttle or other big rocket is standing on the launch pad, what is supporting the weight? Can’t be the rocket nozzles…they’d crush like a beer can.  
> Industrial sized hooks on the Gantry? \*\*

It is bolted to the launch tower.Amazingly they use explosive bolts that blow away when the shuttle is taking off.

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**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376/3 "2001-05-04T20:27:00Z")

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The space shuttle is supported on posts attached to the aft skirt of the solid rocket boosters (SRBs). These posts mate with supports on the mobile launch platform. There are four posts per SRB and they are, as stated, attached with explosive bolts (it’s actually the nut that is “frangible” – NASA-speak for explosive).

Here’s a website that should answer most questions about the physical aspects of the shuttle:

[http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/centers.html#sts-ksc-mlp](http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/centers.html#sts-ksc-mlp)

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376/4 "2001-05-04T22:14:15Z")

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There’s this little cardboard tube, y’see? And you slide the rocket down onto the launch rod, putting the launch rod into the small tube.

Oh… You mean _real_ rockets. Never mind…

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**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rocket-standing-on/64376/5 "2001-05-06T02:58:18Z")

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Yeah, what **pluto** said. Here’s a page that shows the posts and the bolts on the SRB (The relevant pics are about halfway down):  
[http://www.geocities.com/kimekeller/SRBdetail1.html](http://www.geocities.com/kimekeller/SRBdetail1.html)