What type of engine did the space shuttle use?
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What type of engine did the space shuttle use?
Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25
Data is for RS-25D at 109\% of rated power level. The Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25, also known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), is a liquid-fuel cryogenic rocket engine that was used on NASA’s Space Shuttle.
Where is the core stage of the SLS being built?
New Orleans
The core stage, largest ever built by length and volume, is being manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans using state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment.
What will NASA do with left-over shuttle engines?
Modified left-over shuttle engines will power NASA’s delayed Space Launch System (SLS), a giant launch vehicle intended for lunar missions and, eventually, Mars. An experimental autonomous Darpa spaceplane, called the Phantom Express, will also rely on a shuttle engine. This vehicle is designed to offer swift, aircraft-like access to space.
How many engines does a Space Shuttle have?
Space Shuttle Main Engines The three Space Shuttle Main Engines, in conjunction with the Solid Rocket Boosters, provide the thrust to lift the Orbiter off the ground for the initial ascent. The main engines continue to operate for 8.5 minutes after launch, the duration of the Shuttle’s powered flight.
Is the Space Shuttle still in use?
In 2011, the storied space shuttle flew for the last time. Three spacecraft survive in retirement as specimens in museums around the country. But the program isn’t dead yet: Many of its parts are popping up as zombie components in spacecraft now in development.
Could the SLS end up being piloted by younger humans?
In other words, it’s in Boeing’s interest to keep the space shuttle’s hardware, first designed in the 1970s, alive for as long as possible. But that means that when the SLS finally launches, it could end up being piloted by someone younger than the engines beneath it.