ATK Launch Systems's Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motors are the most powerful propulsion systems flying today. During the first two minutes of each Space Shuttle launch, the twin 126-foot-long motors produce over 5,200,000 pounds of thrust, or 80 percent of the thrust needed for flight. At booster separation, the orbiter and its crew have reached an altitude of 24 nautical miles and are traveling in excess of 3,000 miles per hour. Their task complete, the spent boosters are retrieved from the ocean, returned to Utah, and refurbished for future missions.

Artist's Note: Caption reflects the Space Shuttle era timeframe. NASA retired the Space Shuttle in 2011 after 30 years of service.