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Fuel Tanks
A Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) is the component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contains the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. more...
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During lift-off and ascent it supplies the fuel and oxidizer under pressure to the three space shuttle main engines (SSME) in the orbiter. The ET is jettisoned just over 10 seconds after MECO (Main Engine Cut Off), where the SSMEs are shut down, and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. Unlike the Solid Rocket Boosters, external tanks are not reusable. They break up before impact in the Indian Ocean (or Pacific Ocean in the case of direct-insertion launch trajectories, which are currently utilized) away from known shipping lanes.
Overview
The ET is the largest element of the space shuttle, and when loaded, it is also the heaviest. It consists of three major components:
the forward liquid oxygen (LOX) tank;
an unpressurized intertank that contains most of the electrical components;
the aft liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank; this is the largest part, but it is relatively light.;
The ET is the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the solid rocket boosters and orbiter. The tank is connected to each SRB at one forward attachment point (using a crossbeam through the intertank) and one aft bracket, and it is connected to the orbiter at one forward attachment bipod and two aft bipods. In the aft attachment area, there are also umbilicals that carry fluids, gases, electrical signals and electrical power between the tank and the orbiter. Electrical signals and controls between the orbiter and the two solid rocket boosters also are routed through those umbilicals.
Evolution of the ET
Standard Weight Tank
The original ET is informally known as the Standard Weight Tank (SWT). The first two, used in STS-1 and STS-2, were painted white. As a weight-saving measure, Lockheed Martin ceased painting the external tanks beginning with STS-3, leaving only the clear primer over the now-trademark rust-colored insulation, saving approximately 272 kg/600 pounds of weight.
After STS-4, several hundred pounds were eliminated by deleting the anti-geyser line. This line paralleled the oxygen feed line, providing a circulation path for liquid oxygen. This reduces accumulation of gaseous oxygen in the feed line during prelaunch tanking (loading of the LOX). After propellant loading data from ground tests and the first few space shuttle missions was assessed, the anti-geyser line was removed for subsequent missions. The total length and diameter of the ET remain unchanged. The last SWT tank, flown on STS-7, weighed approximately 35,000 kg/77,000 pounds inert.
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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