The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), developed 30 years ago, remains a strong candidate for use in the new Exploration Initiative as part of a shuttle-derived heavy-lift expendable booster. This is because the Boeing-Rocket- dyne man-rated SSME remains the most highly efficient liquid rocket engine ever developed. There are only enough parts for 12-15 existing SSMEs, however, so one NASA option is to reinitiate SSME production to use it as a throw-away, as opposed to a reusable, powerplant for NASA s new heavy-lift booster.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Rocket Science: The Shuttle's Main Engines, though Old, Are not Forgotten in the New Exploration Initiative


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2005-07-11



    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





    The Space Shuttle's testing gauntlet

    Mcintosh, G. P. / Larkin, T. P. | NTRS | 1976


    Refurbishing the Shuttle's SRBs

    Corneille, Philip | Online Contents | 2001


    Spacehab: Augmenting the Shuttle's Middeck Capacity

    British Library Conference Proceedings | 1992


    Nitric oxide production in the stratosphere within the space shuttle's solid rocket motor plumes

    Gomberg, Richard I. / Brannan, James R. / Boney, Lillian R. | TIBKAT | 1978