Space shuttle scuttle...

fly

fly

omg
Oct 1, 2004
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So I just found out that they ditch the main fuel tank every launch. Why in the fuck do they do that? You'd think that thing could be fixed up and used in the space station or some shit. That's just crazy.
 
it's the cheapest of the three components to rebuild and the fuel is required to get the orbiter into space after the SRBs are jettisoned. equipping the tank with a heat shield would not only cost a shitload but would weight the whole thing down requiring even more fuel

basically, it was the best they could come up with in the 70s.
 
FlyNavy said:
it's the cheapest of the three components to rebuild and the fuel is required to get the orbiter into space after the SRBs are jettisoned. equipping the tank with a heat shield would not only cost a shitload but would weight the whole thing down requiring even more fuel

basically, it was the best they could come up with in the 70s.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but they don't need a heat shield to get into space, do they? I mean, the tank is most of the way there already anyway...
 
ceiling fly said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but they don't need a heat shield to get into space, do they? I mean, the tank is most of the way there already anyway...
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Massive heat is produced on exit as well as entry. More is produced on entry though.
 
ceiling fly said:
I would think that most of the heat is produced close to the ground, where the air is thicker...
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kinda like that one time in boca raton when we were on the floor and ummm, yeah i love rockets :sucky:
 
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