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The Delta IV (which uses solid rockets in a couple configurations) shares a "Common Booster Core" with the Delta IV Heavy, which does not. Since Delta IV must have attachments for the solid rockets, are those attachments removable? Or, are the booster attachment points a fixed part of the Delta IV, or are they only added when SRBs are being used?

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  • $\begingroup$ The Delta IV Heavy has no need for SRB attachments, as it has none @Blue Skin and Glowing Red Eyes $\endgroup$ Mar 22, 2023 at 9:56
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    $\begingroup$ I hope you don't mind; I edited your question to include context about the Common Booster Cores, since I think that's where the downvote came from. Feel free to roll it back if you don't like it. $\endgroup$
    – Erin Anne
    Mar 22, 2023 at 19:15

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I haven't been able to find much explicit language about the actual attachment points, but I have found some images that convince me that the boosters are prepared specially for only the number of solid rockets used for that mission. Maybe they will also convince you.

This Spaceflight101 article about the NROL-45 mission's payload has this image of the core being delivered tucked away in the lower-right corner. Note the rectangular silver motor attachment point prominent amid the orange insulation, next to some obvious insulation differences where another silver rectangle could be attached for a 5,4 configuration. The aft attachment point might be covered by the red X (numbered 2); there might also be another aft attachment point exposed (numbered 1).

This redditor's photo of a Delta IV Heavy center core being delivered for Parker Solar Probe shows that the insulation isn't prepped in the same way to receive solid motors, nor are the attendant silver rectangles are evident. If the aft mounts are different I don't think they're visible through the handling/rotation rig.

If you're wondering what the mounts looks like once they're in use, this image of a Delta IV 5,4 from this SpaceflightNow article shows the struts that hook the GEM-60 solid motor to the core and the solid-motor-side rectangle pressed against the silver rectangle on the core.

There is probably a lot more in-depth answer that could be presented if we had more evidence. I'm really curious how much work goes into differentiating the cores for SRM mounting, because there is evidently some work done. The mounts in evidence might bolt straight to the isogrid somehow.

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