The scene of a rocket launch is usually a huge plume of fire and smoke as the rocket engine propels the rocket’s massive metal structure into space. But many do not know, just before launching the rocket, NASA releases a huge ‘waterfall’ on the launch pad. In the seconds before launch, the agency uses about four and a half million gallons of water, which is equivalent to two-thirds of an Olympic swimming pool.
The sound produced during a rocket launch reaches about two hundred decibels, which is much louder than a jet engine or lightning. This intense noise not only hurts human ears, but can also damage the rocket’s machinery and structure. So NASA developed the ‘Sound Suppression System’, which protects the rocket and launch pad by absorbing sound and heat by spraying water before launch.
Rocket launches are expensive. The cost of water disposal and noise control systems are also part of this cost. But it is critical to the safety of the mission. NASA is constantly improving this system for bigger, more powerful and louder rockets. Its effectiveness has also been demonstrated in the recently conducted Artemis mission tests.
The system works in such a way that a huge amount of water is pumped from a huge tank onto the launch pad seconds before launch. For example, NASA’s ‘Space Launch System’ (SLS) test launched four and a half million gallons of water in less than a minute. The heat from the rocket engine quickly turned the water into vapor, which covered the launchpad in the form of a thick vapor cloud. As a result, noise is reduced to about 140 decibels and heat is also controlled.
Rocket boosters generate heat that reaches up to three thousand three hundred degrees Celsius. The fuel consumption of a rocket is 2 million times more than that of a normal car. This heat can cause a fire on the launchpad or damage the infrastructure if not taken care of properly. A water disposal system prevents this hazard.
