Rajan Wilcox
The space shuttle is a spacecraft that has been used by NASA for missions in low-Earth orbit since 1981. The shuttle consists of three main parts: an orbiter, an external fuel tank, and two solid rocket boosters. The external fuel tank (ET) is the largest and heaviest element of the space shuttle when loaded. It contains more than half a million gallons of self-combustible liquid fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. The ET provides structural support for the attachment of the solid rocket boosters and the orbiter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Engine Fuel | 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen |
| External Tank Fuel | 535,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen |
| Solid Rocket Boosters Fuel | 2 million pounds of rubbery aluminium fuel |
| Total Fuel | Over 500,000 gallons |
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What You'll Learn
- The external fuel tank holds more than half a million gallons of fuel
- The main engine uses 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen
- The main engine uses 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen
- The tank provides structural support for attachment to the Solid Rocket Boosters
- Erroneous readings from fuel depletion sensors have delayed shuttle launches
The external fuel tank holds more than half a million gallons of fuel
The space shuttle has three main parts: an orbiter that holds the crew, payload, and three main engines; an external fuel tank; and two solid rocket boosters. The external fuel tank (ET) is the largest element of the space shuttle and holds more than half a million gallons of self-combustible liquid fuel and liquid oxygen oxidiser. The ET is the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the solid rocket boosters and the orbiter. It is connected to the orbiter through umbilicals that carry fluids, gases, electrical signals, and electrical power. The ET also has external cameras mounted in brackets attached to the shuttle, along with transmitters that can continue to send video data long after the shuttle and ET have separated.
The ET is jettisoned just over ten seconds after the main engine cut-off and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. Unlike the solid rocket boosters, the ET is not reused. It breaks up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes. The ET is filled with liquid hydrogen and oxygen, which are used to fuel the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter. The liquid hydrogen fuel is kept in the aft liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank, which is the largest part of the ET but is relatively light due to liquid hydrogen's low density.
The space shuttle's main engine uses 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen. The total amount of fuel in the ET is more than 535,000 gallons (2 million litres), enough to power the shuttle's three main engines as it climbs into orbit. The ET is essential to the space shuttle's operation, but its disposal highlights the challenges of space exploration, as most of a spacecraft's weight comes from the fuel required to transport it.
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The main engine uses 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen
The space shuttle is composed of three main parts: an orbiter that holds the crew, payload, and three main engines; an external fuel tank; and two solid rocket boosters. The external fuel tank (ET) is the largest and heaviest element of the space shuttle when loaded. It holds more than half a million gallons of self-combustible liquid fuel and liquid oxidiser. The ET supplies the fuel and oxidiser under pressure to the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter during lift-off and ascent.
The main engine of the space shuttle uses 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen. Liquid hydrogen is used as fuel, while liquid oxygen is used as an oxidiser. The low density of liquid hydrogen means that the aft liquid hydrogen tank is relatively light, despite being the largest part of the ET.
The ET is the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the solid rocket boosters and the orbiter. It is connected to the orbiter at several attachment points and umbilicals, which carry fluids, gases, electrical signals, and power between the tank and the orbiter. The ET also has external cameras and transmitters that can continue to send video data even after the ET has separated from the shuttle.
The ET is jettisoned just over ten seconds after the main engine cut-off and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. Unlike the solid rocket boosters, the ET is not reused. It breaks up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes.
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The main engine uses 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen
The space shuttle is composed of three main parts: an orbiter that holds the crew, payload, and three main engines; an external fuel tank; and two solid rocket boosters. The external fuel tank ET is the largest element of the space shuttle and supplies fuel and oxidizer to the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter during lift-off and ascent. The ET is jettisoned just over 10 seconds after the main engine cut-off and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.
The space shuttle's main engine uses 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen. This liquid oxygen is stored in the external fuel tank, which holds more than half a million gallons of self-combustible liquid in total. The external fuel tank is bright orange and provides structural support for attachment to the solid rocket boosters and the orbiter. It consists of three major components: the forward liquid oxygen (LOX) tank, the aft liquid oxygen (LOX) tank, and the aft liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank. The liquid hydrogen tank is the largest part of the ET but is relatively light due to liquid hydrogen's low density.
The liquid oxygen in the external fuel tank is used as an oxidizer for the space shuttle's main engine. During the fueling process, the external fuel tank is filled with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, which are super-cooled to a very low temperature. The liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen are monitored by pressure transducers located at the top of their respective tanks, ensuring the proper fuel and oxidizer mixture is supplied to the main engines during lift-off and ascent.
The space shuttle's main engine also uses 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen, in addition to the liquid oxygen. This combination of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel allows the space shuttle to reach low-Earth orbit, a few hundred miles above the planet. The external fuel tank provides the necessary propulsion for the shuttle to climb into orbit, carrying the orbiter and its crew and payload.
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The tank provides structural support for attachment to the Solid Rocket Boosters
The space shuttle has three main parts: an orbiter that holds the crew, payload, and three main engines; an immense external fuel tank; and two solid rocket boosters. The external tank, also known as the ET, is the "gas tank" for the Orbiter and contains the propellants used by the Space Shuttle Main Engines. It is the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded.
The ET is considered the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the Solid Rocket Boosters and orbiter. It is the only component of the shuttle stack that was not reusable—a new one was constructed for each launch. The tank carried propellants—liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen—that flowed into the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs), where they combined and ignited to produce almost one and a half million pounds of thrust to help push the space shuttle to orbit.
The ET also served as the structural support for the whole shuttle stack, with attachment points for the orbiter and booster rockets. During each shuttle mission, all the propellants in the tank were used up by the SSMEs during the shuttle's trip up to orbit. About 8.5 minutes after launch, the empty tank detached about 70 miles (113 kilometers) above the Earth's surface. After detaching, the tank fell back towards Earth, mostly disintegrating in the atmosphere.
Three different types of external tanks were built over the course of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program: standard-weight tanks (SWTs), lightweight tanks (LWTs), and super lightweight tanks (SLWTs). All three types looked the same on the outside, but differed in their internal construction and materials. The SLWT, for example, used an aluminium-lithium alloy (Al 2195) for a large part of the tank structure, resulting in a significant weight reduction.
The world's last remaining space shuttle external tank that was built for flight is ET-94, a lightweight tank (LWT) that was ordered to support science missions for the space shuttle Columbia. ET-94 was extensively studied after the Columbia shuttle was destroyed during its return to Earth in 2003, to assess whether the tank contributed to the accident.
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Erroneous readings from fuel depletion sensors have delayed shuttle launches
The space shuttle is a complex machine with multiple components, each serving a specific function. The shuttle consists of an orbiter that carries the crew and payload, an external fuel tank, and solid rocket boosters. While the external tank holds a significant amount of fuel, precise measurements are crucial for the shuttle's operation and safety. Erroneous readings from fuel depletion sensors have, on several occasions, delayed shuttle launches to ensure issues are addressed and astronaut safety is prioritised.
One such instance occurred during the fuelling of Atlantis' tank, where engineers encountered an issue with the hydrogen sensors. Two out of four sensors failed a standard test, incorrectly indicating a dry tank despite being immersed in liquid hydrogen. This test is essential to ensure the sensors function properly during the mission. Similar glitches have caused delays in multiple shuttle flights, including the STS-114 mission in July 2005, which was NASA's first post-Columbia accident flight.
In another incident, NASA delayed the launch of its next space shuttle mission to replace potentially faulty fuel sensors in the orbiter's external tank. Wayne Hale, NASA's shuttle program manager, acknowledged the issue, stating that faulty sensors could lead to an early engine shutdown before the shuttle reaches its intended orbit. The chances of this occurring are rare, but the consequences could be dire. As Hale described it, this is a "life-or-death" situation where reliable sensors are critical for astronaut safety.
The Atlantis launch was also delayed due to a fuel sensor glitch, causing disappointment to hundreds of visitors at Cape Canaveral. Early in the fuelling process, two out of four hydrogen fuel sensors provided incorrect readings, leading to concerns about an open circuit in the spacecraft. These sensors are crucial as they trigger the shutdown of the shuttle's engines if fuel levels drop too low during the journey to orbit. If the engines continued operating with depleted fuel, the spacecraft could be at risk of disintegrating.
These delays due to erroneous fuel sensor readings highlight the meticulous precautions taken by space agencies to ensure the safety of astronauts and the success of missions. While these delays may cause temporary setbacks, they are necessary to address technical issues and mitigate potential risks before launching.
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Frequently asked questions
A space shuttle's external tank can hold more than half a million gallons of self-combustible liquid fuel, specifically 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen.
The space shuttle Discovery holds more than 535,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
The space shuttle external tank (ET) is the component of the space shuttle launch vehicle that contains the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. It is the largest and heaviest element of the space shuttle when loaded.
The fuel in the space shuttle's external tank is used during lift-off and ascent to supply fuel and oxidizer to the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter.
