美国航宇局已选定由洛克希德公司和航空喷气公司组成的研制队伍,为航天飞机生产新一代的固体助推器。此种新的固体推推器将提高航天飞机运载能力并改善其安全性。在1994年,这种新的固体助推器替换掉由莫顿·锡奥科尔公司生产的、在挑战者号事故后改进过的固体助推器。新的固体助推器能使航天飞机运载能力增加12000磅。从而使航天飞机达到原来的65000磅的轨道运载能力。根据每年14次飞行任务,额外增加的运 NASA has selected a research team of Lockheed and Air Jet to produce a new generation of solid boosters for space shuttles. The new solid propeller will improve space shuttle capacity and improve safety. In 1994, the new solid booster replaced the solid boosters manufactured by Morton Theo-Cole after the Challenger accident. The new solid booster will increase space shuttle capacity by 12,000 pounds. Thus bringing the space shuttle to its original 65,000-pound orbit capacity. Based on 14 missions per year, additional traffic is added