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STS
Credit: NASA American winged orbital launch vehicle. Redesign of the shuttle with reliability in mind after the Challenger disaster reduced maximum payload to low earth orbit from 27,850 kg to 24,400 kg. When the decision was made to move the International Space Station to a high-inclination 51.6 degree orbit, net payload to the more challenging orbit dropped to unacceptable limits. The situation was improved by introduction of the Super Lightweight External Tank, which used 2195 Aluminum-Lithium alloy as the main structural material in place of the 2219 aluminum alloy of the original design. This saved 3,500 kg in empty mass, increasing shuttle payload by the same amount. The tank was first used on STS-91 in June 1998.
AKA: Space Transportation System;STS. Status: In production. Payload: 27,500 kg (60,600 lb). Thrust: 28,190.00 kN (6,337,360 lbf). Gross mass: 2,040,000 kg (4,490,000 lb). Height: 56.00 m (183.00 ft). Diameter: 8.70 m (28.50 ft). Apogee: 204 km (126 mi).
LEO Payload: 27,500 kg (60,600 lb) to a 204 km orbit at 28.50 degrees. Payload: 16,050 kg (35,380 lb) to a 407 km 51.6 deg orbit.
Stage Data - Shuttle ISS
- Stage 0. 2 x Shuttle RSRM. Gross Mass: 590,000 kg (1,300,000 lb). Empty Mass: 88,000 kg (194,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 11,519.999 kN (2,589,799 lbf). Isp: 267 sec. Burn time: 123 sec. Isp(sl): 235 sec. Diameter: 3.77 m (12.36 ft). Span: 5.10 m (16.70 ft). Length: 45.46 m (149.14 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: RSRM. Other designations: Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor. Status: In production. Comments: After the Challenger disaster the redesigned solid rocket motors had a slight reduction in performance due to reliability improvements.
- Stage 1. 1 x Shuttle Super Lightweight Tank. Gross Mass: 748,000 kg (1,649,000 lb). Empty Mass: 27,000 kg (59,000 lb). Isp: 453 sec. Burn time: 522 sec. Isp(sl): 361 sec. Diameter: 8.40 m (27.50 ft). Span: 8.70 m (28.50 ft). Length: 47.00 m (154.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 0. Engine: None. Other designations: Super Lightweight External Tank. Status: In production. The Super Lightweight Tank used 2195 Aluminum-Lithium alloy as the main structural material in place of the 2219 aluminum alloy of the original design. This saved 3,500 kg in empty mass, increasing shuttle payload by the same amount. This change was made in anticipation of Shuttle-Mir and Shuttle-ISS flights to high inclination 51.6 degree orbits. The tank was first used on STS-91 in June 1998.
- Stage 2. 1 x Shuttle Orbiter. Gross Mass: 99,318 kg (218,958 lb). Empty Mass: 99,117 kg (218,515 lb). Thrust (vac): 6,834.303 kN (1,536,412 lbf). Isp: 455 sec. Burn time: 480 sec. Isp(sl): 363 sec. Diameter: 4.90 m (16.00 ft). Span: 23.79 m (78.05 ft). Length: 37.24 m (122.17 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 3. Engine: SSME. Other designations: Shuttle; STS (Space Transportation System). Status: In Production.
Family: orbital launch vehicle, Winged. Country: USA. Stages: Shuttle Orbiter, RSRM, Shuttle Super Lightweight Tank. Agency: NASA. Back to top of page Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
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