Rajan Wilcox
The space shuttle's external fuel tank, also known as the ET, is a distinctive orange colour due to the spray-on foam insulation applied to its surface. Originally, the ET was painted white to protect the tank from ultraviolet light during extended periods on the launchpad. However, it was decided to stop painting the tank to save weight, as the paint added approximately 600 lbs to the shuttle. As a result, the orange colour of the insulation is now visible.
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What You'll Learn
The orange colour is from the spray-on foam insulation
The external tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle was the component that contained the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. It was the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded. The ET was jettisoned just over 10 seconds after the main engine cut off and broke up before re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
The orange colour of the ET is due to the 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 that the shuttle spent on the launch pad. However, it was found that painting the tanks added about 600 lbs of weight, so the decision was made to stop painting them. The orange colour of the spray-on foam insulation was left as the default.
The foam insulation served an important function in maintaining the integrity of the ET. During the lift-off of STS-107 on January 16, 2003, a piece of foam insulation detached from the tank and struck the wing of Space Shuttle Columbia. This impact damaged a reinforced carbon-carbon panel on the wing, allowing super-heated gas to enter during re-entry, resulting in the destruction of Columbia and the loss of its crew.
The ET also had external cameras mounted in brackets attached to the shuttle, as well as transmitters that continued to send video data long after the shuttle and ET separated. The ET played a crucial role in providing structural support and stability to the shuttle stack, acting as its "backbone".
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The tank was originally painted white
The external tank's orange colour is the colour of the spray-on foam insulation. The insulation is necessary to protect the tank from extreme temperatures during flight. While white paint reflects more light (and thus heat) than any other colour, the insulation is more effective at protecting the tank from the extreme cold of space.
The 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 ET supplies fuel and oxidizer to the three RS-25 main engines in the orbiter during lift-off and ascent. It is jettisoned just over 10 seconds after the main engine cut-off and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.
The ET is not reused and breaks up before impact in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes. Over the years, NASA worked to reduce the weight of the ET to increase overall efficiency, which allowed for an almost equal increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the Space Shuttle.
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Painting it white added 600 lbs of weight
The large orange fuel tank attached to space shuttles was originally painted white. Painting it white added 600 lbs of weight to the shuttle. The external fuel tank on the space shuttles was painted white but it was decided to keep the natural orange colour to save weight.
The orange colour of the external tank is the colour of the 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 the shuttle spent on the launch pad prior to launch.
Painting the external fuel tank white added 600 lbs of weight to the shuttle, which is a significant amount of extra weight. This extra weight would have to be lifted off the ground during launch and carried during the flight, requiring more fuel and power.
Additionally, the extra weight would have an impact on the shuttle's performance and efficiency. Over the years, NASA worked to reduce the weight of the external tank to increase overall efficiency. The weight reduction in the external tank resulted in an almost equal increase in the cargo-carrying capability of the Space Shuttle.
Therefore, it was decided that the external fuel tank would not be painted white, as the added weight was not worth the benefits of the colour change.
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White reflects more light and heat than other colours
The large external fuel tank on the space shuttle was originally painted white. Painting it white protected the tank from ultraviolet light during the extended time the shuttle spent on the launchpad. However, painting the tank added 600 lbs of weight, which impacted the cargo-carrying capability of the shuttle. Therefore, it was decided to stop painting the external fuel tank and instead leave it its original orange colour, the colour of the spray-on foam insulation.
The external fuel tank was the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded. It was the structural backbone of the shuttle, providing vibration dampening and structural mass while the solid rocket boosters were firing. The orbiter couldn't take the extreme aerodynamic forces of ascent without the fuel tank to "punch a hole" in the supersonic airstream ahead of it.
The external fuel tank was jettisoned just over 10 seconds after the main engine cut off and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. Unlike the Solid Rocket Boosters, the external tanks were not reused. They broke up before impacting the Indian or Pacific Ocean, away from shipping lanes, and were not recovered.
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The orange tank has been used for over 100 flights
The distinctive orange tank of the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) has been used for over 100 flights. The ET was the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded with fuel. It contained liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer, supplying the three RS-25 main engines during lift-off and ascent. The ET was jettisoned just over 10 seconds after the main engine cut-off and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, breaking up before impact in the ocean.
The orange colour of the ET is due to the spray-on foam insulation, which was originally white. The decision to stop painting the tank was made to save weight, as the paint added about 600 lbs to the shuttle. 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.
The ET also played a crucial role in providing structural support to the shuttle stack. It acted as a mounting point, vibration dampening, and structural mass while the solid rocket boosters were firing. Additionally, the orbiter relied on the ET to "punch a hole" ahead of it to withstand the extreme aerodynamic forces during supersonic flight.
Over the years, there were efforts to reduce the weight of the ET to increase overall efficiency. The Super Lightweight Tank (SLWT), introduced in 1998, utilised an aluminium-lithium alloy for a large part of its structure, resulting in a significant weight reduction of about 7,000 pounds. This weight reduction allowed the Orbiter to carry more payload and contributed significantly to the shuttle's performance increase, enabling it to reach the International Space Station.
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Frequently asked questions
The shuttle external fuel tank is orange because that is the colour of the spray-on foam insulation. The first two tanks were painted white to protect them from ultraviolet light during the extended time the shuttle spent on the launch pad.
Painting the external fuel tank white added 600 lbs of paint to the shuttle.
The external fuel tank (ET) was the component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contained the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. It was the largest and heaviest element of the Space Shuttle when loaded.
