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The SLS will be using five segment boosters derived from the four segment ones used during the STS program.
Almost all of the STS boosters were recovered and reused, however NASA doesn't plan to try and recover any of the new solid rocket boosters for SLS.
What is the reasoning behind this? Technical or limited number of launches? Is it cheaper to simply make new boosters than try and refurbish recovered ones?
The usual answer - $. Booster recovery was only marginally worth it for STS - once you witnessed how every screw and nut was taken apart, cleaned, and reassembled, you began to wonder why not just build a new one. That said, it is a wonderful thing for problem resolution if you get the hardware back to look at.
Here are some pictures I took at the STS-124 TCDT showing a recently recovered aft skirt versus an aft skirt in the process of being refurbed.
With the low SLS flight rate and the economics of reuse bad anyway, it doesn't make sense. But don't take my word for it:
"We don't need to recover the boosters because we have saved enough booster hardware to advance them for SLS specifications, resulting in cost savings," said Bruce Tiller, deputy manager of the SLS Boosters Office at Marshall. "Removing all the parachutes and their associated infrastructure lifts many thousands of pounds off the vehicle and improves performance to carry more payload."
Edit: per request, here's a locater diagram showing where the aft skirt is on the SRB.
