From: zili@home   
      
   Am 20 Jan 2006 00:57:43 -0800 schrieb   
   "Proponent!!!N0_SP@M!!!@gmx.net":   
      
   >Watching the NH launch reminded me of a something that's been bothering   
   >me for a while: why is the arrangement of SRBs on the Atlas V   
   >asymmetric?  How is the asymmetry of the SRB thrust compensated for?   
   >By gimballing the RD-180s?  By offsetting the RD-180s?  In the former   
   >case, isn't this inefficient?  In the latter case, how does a 40x or   
   >50x model manage to fly straight?   
      
   The booster nozzles are simply canted a bit outwards, so that their   
   thrust vectors go through the launcher's center of gravity. The   
   tradeoff os a slight decrease in effective thrust compared to a thrust   
   vector in movement direction, but it is the easiest method of using   
   even asymmetrical arrangements. Another well known example of   
   asymmetrical booster arrangements are the Delta-II 7420/7425 boosters,   
   that use the very same concept.   
      
   cu, ZiLi aka HKZL   
      
   --   
   Gib mir die Zahlen die Du hast,   
   und gib mir die Zahlen die Du brauchst -   
   Und ich suche dann die richtigen Tests raus,   
   um aus den einen die anderen Zahlen zu machen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)