Sylvie Willis
The Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) is an essential component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle, supplying fuel and oxidizer to the engines during lift-off and ascent. It is often referred to as the backbone of the shuttle, providing structural support and attachment points for the orbiter and booster rockets. While the exact height of the ET is not explicitly stated, it is described as being as tall as a 15-story building and is considered the largest element of the Space Shuttle. The ET played a crucial role in the space shuttle program, with each launch requiring a new tank due to its non-reusable nature.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) |
| Weight | 66,000 pounds |
| Height | 15-story building |
| Colour | Orange |
| Composition | Aluminum |
| Contents | Liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer |
| Capacity | 1.6 million pounds |
| Surface Area | 12,500–14,500 square feet |
| Types | Standard-weight tanks (SWTs), lightweight tanks (LWTs), super lightweight tanks (SLWTs) |
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What You'll Learn
- The height of the space shuttle fuel tank is comparable to a 15-story building
- The ET-94 fuel tank is the last flight-qualified external tank
- The ET is the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle
- The ET is the shuttle's backbone and provides structural support
- The ET is not reusable and breaks up before ocean impact
The height of the space shuttle fuel tank is comparable to a 15-story building
The ET played a critical role in the space shuttle's launch, serving as the "backbone" of the shuttle. It was the only component of the shuttle stack that was not reusable, detaching and burning up in the atmosphere shortly after liftoff. Each launch required a new ET, making it a crucial but expendable part of the space shuttle program.
The ET's impressive height is not its only notable feature. It also had a significant weight, with some tanks weighing 66,000 pounds. To increase overall efficiency, NASA worked to reduce the weight of the ET, which resulted in an almost equal increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the space shuttle. The first two tanks, used for STS-1 and STS-2, were painted white to protect them from ultraviolet light during extended periods on the launch pad. However, it was later determined that the paint did not enhance performance, and starting with STS-3, the tanks were left unpainted, reducing their weight by approximately 600 pounds.
The ET's primary function was to contain and supply fuel to the space shuttle. It held up to 1.6 million pounds of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, which combined and ignited in the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) to produce an immense amount of thrust, propelling the shuttle into orbit. The liquid hydrogen tank, despite being 2.5 times larger than the liquid oxygen tank, weighed only a fifth as much due to the low density of liquid hydrogen.
The ET also featured various technical components, including pressure transducers and electrical umbilicals. The pressure transducers monitored the ullage pressures in the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks, ensuring the proper functioning of the fuel system. The electrical umbilicals played a crucial role in transferring electrical power and data between the tank, the orbiter, and the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). Additionally, external cameras and transmitters were mounted on the ET, providing valuable data even after the tank separated from the shuttle.
In summary, the height of the space shuttle fuel tank, comparable to a 15-story building, is just one remarkable aspect of this complex and vital component of space shuttle missions. Its size, weight, and functionality all contributed to the success of launching shuttles into orbit, making the ET an engineering marvel in the pursuit of space exploration.
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The ET-94 fuel tank is the last flight-qualified external tank
The external tank is like the "gas tank" for the space shuttle orbiter. It carries propellants—liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen—that flow into the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs), where they combine and ignite to produce almost one and a half million pounds of thrust to help push the space shuttle into orbit. The external tank also serves as structural support for the whole shuttle stack, with attachment points for the orbiter and booster rockets.
The ET-94 is one of three types of external tanks used in the shuttle program. The first two types were standard weight tanks (SWTs) and lightweight tanks (LWTs). The third type was the super-lightweight tank (SLWT), which could carry more cargo to the International Space Station. The external tank is the only component of the shuttle stack that was not reusable—a new one was constructed for each launch.
The ET-94 fuel tank is currently on display at the California Science Center's Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. The journey of the tank from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to the California Science Center in Los Angeles was a complex logistical operation. The tank had to be delicately pushed from its outdoor perch and transported by barge through the Panama Canal to Marina del Rey before being driven to the California Science Center.
The ET-94 underwent restoration work before being put on display. This included the creation of new foam pieces to replace areas where large amounts of foam were missing. The restoration process also involved painting the intertank and other exterior components of the tank.
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The ET is the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) is the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle. It was the only part of the shuttle stack that was not reusable. Each launch required a new one. The ET was like the "gas tank" for the space shuttle orbiter. It 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. The ET was the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the orbiter.
The ET was connected to each SRB at one forward attachment point (using a crossbeam through the intertank) and one aft bracket, and it was connected to the orbiter at one forward attachment bipod and two aft bipods. In the aft attachment area, there were also umbilicals that carried 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 were also routed through those umbilicals. The ET also has two electrical umbilicals that carry electrical power from the orbiter to the tank and the two SRBs and provide information from the SRBs and ET to the orbiter.
The ET consisted of three major components: the aft liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank, which was the largest part; the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank, located at the top of the ET; and the forward liquid oxygen tank. The liquid hydrogen tank is 2.5 times larger than the liquid oxygen tank, but the filled hydrogen tank weighs only a fifth of what the filled oxygen tank does. Liquid oxygen is 16 times heavier than liquid hydrogen. The LOX tank has an ogive shape to reduce aerodynamic drag and aerothermodynamic heating. The ET was jettisoned just over 10 seconds after main engine cut-off (MECO) and it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere.
Over the years, NASA worked to reduce the weight of the ET to increase overall efficiency. The weight reduction resulted in an almost equal increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the Space Shuttle. The original ET is informally known as the Standard Weight Tank (SWT) and was fabricated from 2219 aluminum alloy, a high-strength aluminum-copper alloy used for many aerospace applications. The first two tanks, used for STS-1 and STS-2, were painted white to protect the tanks from ultraviolet light during the extended time that the shuttle spent on the launch pad before launch. However, NASA engineer Farouk Huneidi later stated that the paint did not actually protect the foam. Beginning with STS-3, Martin Marietta (now part of Lockheed Martin) reduced weight by leaving the rust-colored spray-on insulation unpainted, saving approximately 272 kg (600 lb). After STS-4, several hundred pounds were eliminated by deleting the anti-geyser line, which paralleled the oxygen feed line and provided a circulation path for liquid oxygen.
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The ET is the shuttle's backbone and provides structural support
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) was the backbone of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the orbiter. The ET was the largest element of the Space Shuttle, and when loaded, it was also the heaviest. It was like the "gas tank" for the space shuttle orbiter, carrying propellants—liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen—that flowed into the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs). The ET also had two electrical umbilicals that carried electrical power from the orbiter to the tank and the two SRBs and provided information from the SRBs and ET to the orbiter.
The ET was connected to each SRB at one forward attachment point (using a crossbeam through the intertank) and one aft bracket, and it was connected to the orbiter at one forward attachment bipod and two aft bipods. In the aft attachment area, there were also umbilicals that carried 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 were also routed through those umbilicals.
The ET was jettisoned just over 10 seconds after main engine cut-off (MECO) and it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. Unlike the Solid Rocket Boosters, external tanks were not re-used. They broke up before impact in the Indian Ocean or Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes, and were not recovered.
Over the years, NASA worked to reduce the weight of the ET to increase overall efficiency. The weight reduction resulted in an almost equal increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the Space Shuttle. The original ET is informally known as the Standard Weight Tank (SWT) and was fabricated from 2219 aluminum alloy, a high-strength aluminum-copper alloy used for many aerospace applications. The SWT weighed approximately 77,000 pounds (35,000 kg) inert.
Beginning with the STS-6 mission, a lightweight ET (LWT) was introduced. This tank was used for the majority of the Shuttle flights and was last used during the launch of the STS-107 mission. The LWT weighed approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kg) inert. The weight reduction from the SWT was accomplished by eliminating portions of stringers (structural stiffeners running the length of the hydrogen tank), using fewer stiffener rings, and modifying the tank's internal construction and materials.
The Super Lightweight Tank (SLWT) was first flown in 1998 on STS-91 and was used for all subsequent missions with two exceptions (STS-99 and STS-97). The SLWT had basically the same design as the LWT except that it used an aluminium-lithium alloy (Al 2195) for a large part of the tank structure. This alloy provided a significant reduction in tank weight (about 7,000 pounds or 3,175 kg) over the LWT. The SLWT provided 50% of the performance increase required for the shuttle to reach the International Space Station.
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The ET is not reusable and breaks up before ocean impact
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) is the only component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that is not reusable. It is jettisoned just over 10 seconds after the main engine cut-off (MECO) and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. The ET breaks up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes, and is not recovered.
The ET is an essential component of the Space Shuttle, providing structural support for the attachment of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the orbiter. It also contains the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer, which are supplied under pressure to the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter. The ET is the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded.
Over the years, NASA has worked to reduce the weight of the ET to increase overall efficiency. The weight reduction in the ET resulted in a nearly equal increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the Space Shuttle. The original ET, informally known as the Standard Weight Tank (SWT), was fabricated from 2219 aluminum alloy, a high-strength aluminum-copper alloy commonly used in aerospace applications.
The ET-94, completed in 2001, was one of three types of external tanks used in the shuttle program: standard-weight tanks (SWTs), lightweight tanks (LWTs), and super lightweight tanks (SLWTs). ET-94 was a lightweight tank designed to propel the shuttle into low-Earth orbit. It was also extensively studied after the Columbia disaster in 2003 to assess whether it contributed to the accident in any way.
In summary, the ET plays a crucial role in providing fuel and structural support for the Space Shuttle, but it is not reusable and breaks up before impacting the ocean to avoid any hazards. NASA has made efforts to optimize the ET's design, leading to improvements in efficiency and cargo-carrying capabilities.
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Frequently asked questions
The space shuttle external tank, also known as the ET, is about as tall as a 15-story building.
The space shuttle fuel tank weighs 66,000 pounds.
The original ET was fabricated from 2219 aluminum alloy, a high-strength aluminum-copper alloy used for many aerospace applications.
