Katerina Swanson
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) was an essential component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle, providing structural support and housing liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. After use, these external tanks were always discarded and burned up in the Earth's atmosphere, with their remnants falling into the Indian or Pacific Ocean. The ET-94, the last of its kind, concluded its journey in Los Angeles in 2016, joining the space shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center. This 66,000-pound behemoth faced a challenging journey, traversing stormy seas and even rescuing a stricken fishing crew before its final crawl to its new home.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) |
| Height | 154 feet (47 meters) |
| Width | 28 feet (8.5 meters) |
| Weight (empty) | 59,000 pounds (26,818 kg) |
| Weight (with fuel) | 1.6-1.7 million pounds (727,277-772,727 kg) |
| Colour | Orange |
| Composition | 2219 Aluminum Alloy |
| Fuel Capacity | 535,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellant |
| Reusable | No |
| Landing Site | Indian or Pacific Ocean |
| Display Locations | Wings of Dreams Aviation Museum, Kennedy Space Center, California Science Center |
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What You'll Learn
- The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) is not reused and burns up in the Earth's atmosphere
- ET is the backbone of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support and attachment
- The ET's distinctive orange colour comes from its spray-on foam insulation
- ET weighs nearly 1.7 million pounds when filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant
- ET-94, completed in 2001, was one of three types of external tanks used in the shuttle program
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) is not reused and burns up in the Earth's atmosphere
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) is the component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contains liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. It is the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded. The ET was the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment to the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the orbiter. It also had electrical umbilicals that carried electrical power from the orbiter to the tank and the SRBs, as well as signals and controls between the orbiter and SRBs.
Unlike the Solid Rocket Boosters, the ET was not reused and was always discarded. It detached about 70 miles above the Earth's surface and burned up in the Earth's atmosphere. Each launch required a new ET. The ET broke up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes, and was not recovered. Over the years, 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 weight reduction also allowed for an increase in the amount of insulating foam covering the tank to increase safety.
The distinctive orange color of the ET comes from its spray-on foam insulation. 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 on the launch pad prior to launch. However, it was later determined that the paint did not actually protect the foam, and subsequent tanks left the insulation unpainted to reduce weight. The ET stood 154 feet (47 meters) tall, measured about 28 feet (8.5 meters) across, and weighed about 66,000 pounds (30,000 kg) when empty.
The Space Shuttle program ended in 2011 with the final flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Upon closure of the program, NASA announced it was auctioning off the ET, which was purchased by a bidder in California. The ET was then transported to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, where it is now permanently displayed.
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ET is the backbone of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support and attachment
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) was the backbone of the shuttle during launch. It provided structural support and attachment to 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. It was also connected to the orbiter at one forward attachment bipod and two aft bipods.
The ET's aft attachment area included umbilicals that transferred fluids, gases, electrical signals, and power between the tank and the orbiter. These umbilicals also facilitated the transmission of electrical signals and controls between the orbiter and the solid rocket boosters.
The ET was an essential component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle, containing liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. It supplied fuel and oxidizer under pressure to the three RS-25 main engines during lift-off and ascent.
The ET was always discarded after use and broke up before impact in the Indian or Pacific Ocean. It was the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded. Over the years, NASA worked to reduce the ET's weight, which resulted in a significant increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the Space Shuttle.
The external fuel tank played a crucial role in space shuttle missions, providing structural support and facilitating the transfer of fuel and other resources during the launch phase. Its unique design and functionality contributed significantly to the success of space exploration endeavors.
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The ET's distinctive orange colour comes from its spray-on foam insulation
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) was the largest element of the Space Shuttle and contained the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. The ET was always discarded and broke up before impact in the Indian or Pacific Ocean. The ET was also the "backbone" of the shuttle during launch, providing structural support for attachment with the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the orbiter.
The foam insulation serves to prevent ice from forming on the outside of the tank and to insulate the propellants inside. During launch, the outside of the foam can be several hundred degrees, while the inside can be several hundred degrees below zero. The foam is composed of five primary ingredients: polymeric isocyanate, a flame retardant, a surfactant, a blowing agent, and a catalyst. The blowing agent, HCFC 141b, creates the foam's cellular structure by forming millions of tiny bubbles or foam cells.
The colour of spray-on foam insulation can vary depending on the manufacturer and specific formulation used. In the industry, the term SOFI (spray-on foam insulation) is used to refer to this type of insulation. The natural colour of foam is cream, but it can appear more white or yellow depending on the manufacturer. Foam insulation can also change colour over time, especially when exposed to sunlight, and may yellow or develop an inconsistent colour.
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ET weighs nearly 1.7 million pounds when filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) is the component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contains liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. The ET is 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 is the largest element of the Space Shuttle, and when loaded, it is also the heaviest.
The ET has five propellant umbilical valves that interface with orbiter umbilicals: two for the liquid oxygen tank and three for the liquid hydrogen tank. One of the liquid oxygen tank umbilical valves is for liquid oxygen, while the other is for gaseous oxygen. The liquid hydrogen tank umbilical has two valves for liquid and one for gas. 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 weighs nearly 1.7 million pounds when filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant. The weight of the ET has been reduced over the years by NASA to increase overall efficiency. 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. A lightweight ET (LWT) was introduced, which was used for the majority of Shuttle flights. Each LWT weighed approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kg) inert.
The ET is jettisoned just over 10 seconds after main engine cut-off (MECO) and it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. The external tanks are always discarded and break up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes. They are not reused.
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ET-94, completed in 2001, was one of three types of external tanks used in the shuttle program
The Space Shuttle external tank (ET) was the component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contained the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. During lift-off and ascent, it supplied the fuel and oxidizer under pressure to the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter. The ET was the largest element of the Space Shuttle, and when loaded, it was also the heaviest. 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. Although the external tanks were always discarded, it may have been possible to reuse them in orbit.
Three types of external tanks or ET's were manufactured for the Space Shuttle program. ET-94, completed in 2001, was one of these three types of external tanks used in the shuttle program. It was a lightweight tank (LWT) intended to propel the shuttle into low-Earth orbit. It was ordered specifically to support science missions for the Space Shuttle Columbia. ET-94 was the last flight-qualified external tank in existence and was donated to the California Science Center by NASA. It is currently being restored for display at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which will be the only place in the world where people will be able to see a complete shuttle stack with all real flight hardware in launch configuration.
The external tank's distinctive orange color, an iconic feature of the Space Shuttle program, comes from its spray-on foam insulation. The first two tanks, used for STS-1 and STS-2, were originally painted white to shield them from ultraviolet light during the shuttle's extended time on the launch pad. However, NASA engineer Farouk Huneidi determined that the paint provided no actual protection for the foam. To reduce weight, Martin Marietta, now part of Lockheed Martin, opted to leave the rust-colored insulation unpainted, starting with STS-3, saving approximately 272 kg (600 lb).
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 contractor for the external tank was Lockheed Martin, and the tank was manufactured at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Frequently asked questions
The space shuttle external fuel tank, also known as ET, is not collected and reused. Instead, it detaches about 70 miles above Earth's surface and burns up in the atmosphere. The tanks break up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean in the case of direct-insertion launch trajectories.
Unused space shuttle fuel tanks have ended up in museums. For example, a full-scale model of the space shuttle's external fuel tank has been sitting at the Port of Green Cove Springs since 2013, awaiting transport to the Wings of Dreams Museum in Keystone Heights. The last space shuttle external fuel tank, ET-94, was moved from its barge to dry land at Marina del Rey, California, in 2016. It was then transported to the California Science Center in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, where it is permanently displayed.
The original space shuttle external fuel tank was constructed from 2219 aluminum alloy, a high-strength aluminum copper alloy commonly used in aerospace applications.
A space shuttle fuel tank weighs about 66,000 pounds (30,000 kg) when empty. When filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant, they weigh nearly 1.7 million pounds (772,727 kg).
