Apollo Launch Escape Tower Electroexplosive Bolts

Solid explosive detonation in direct contact with a metal body is examined to determine the energy transfer from latent chemical energy of an explosive into kinetic energy of the neighboring body structural members and spacecraft. Much of this is of an empirical nature since the time-dependent, three-dimensional problem involves extremely difficult analysis. Acoustic experiments were performed on a partially constructed spacecraft. A complete set of sound intensity maps was obtained.