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Space Shuttle: Difference between revisions
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→The Main Engines
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The propellant for the SSMEs is carried in the ET. The tank has a liftoff weight of approximately 1,680,000 lb (760 tons) and a dry weight of about 66,000 lb (dependent on version - the Space Shuttle menu offers an option to fly older and heavier tanks). The ET is the only expendable component of the launch stack, it is dropped after MECO upon almost reaching orbit and then the shuttle uses the OMS to attain orbit while the tank re-enters the atmosphere half an orbit later and breaks up during entry. | The propellant for the SSMEs is carried in the ET. The tank has a liftoff weight of approximately 1,680,000 lb (760 tons) and a dry weight of about 66,000 lb (dependent on version - the Space Shuttle menu offers an option to fly older and heavier tanks). The ET is the only expendable component of the launch stack, it is dropped after MECO upon almost reaching orbit and then the shuttle uses the OMS to attain orbit while the tank re-enters the atmosphere half an orbit later and breaks up during entry. | ||
[[File:Et_sep.jpg| | [[File:Et_sep.jpg|800px|thumbnail|none|External tank separation]] | ||
In FG, the tank is normally separated using {{Key press|d}}. This is vetoed if the Shuttle has unsafe yaw, pitch or roll motion in which case the RCS should be used to stabilize the orbiter before ET separation. If an emergency separation needs to be performed, {{Key press|Control|d}} overrides the veto. At separation, a translational RCS burn will automatically push the shuttle away from the tank. | In FG, the tank is normally separated using {{Key press|d}}. This is vetoed if the Shuttle has unsafe yaw, pitch or roll motion in which case the RCS should be used to stabilize the orbiter before ET separation. If an emergency separation needs to be performed, {{Key press|Control|d}} overrides the veto. At separation, a translational RCS burn will automatically push the shuttle away from the tank. | ||