NASA Tests Lightweight Shuttle Fuel Tank
May 20, 1998 - 0:0
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The U.S. space agency on Monday tested a new lightweight fuel tank needed to help the space shuttle haul heavy space station parts into orbit, NASA officials said. In the launch pad test, the redesigned fuel tank, attached to the shuttle Discovery, was successfully loaded with a half million gallons (1.9 million liters) of super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants, NASA Spokesman Bruce Buckingham said.
The test went better than anyone could have expected, he said. It's an excellent design and we expect to have no concerns with this tank. The new tank, which feeds the shuttle's main engines with about 1,000 gallons (3,800 liters) of rocket fuel a second, is to make its maiden flight on June 2 and is 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg) lighter than the old tank, which weighed 65,500 pounds (29,500 kg).
In Monday's test, engineers wanted to check for leaks and be sure the tank did not put unexpected stress on the struts that attach it to the shuttle's twin solid rocket motors. Twelve strain gauges on the struts detected nothing out of the ordinary as the tank was filled with frigid rocket fuel for the day-long checkout, officials said. The test was due to end on Monday evening with a simulation of the final minutes of a space shuttle countdown.
NASA plans to use the lightweight tank on all future shuttle missions. The bullet-shaped, rust-colored tank looks identical to its predecessors but was manufactured with a new alloy of aluminum and lithium, which is stronger and lighter than the metal used previously. Although initially there were problems welding the new material, NASA officials said those difficulties were overcome and six fuel tanks have now been built.
The astronauts who will ride the lightweight tank into orbit next month on NASA's last mission to Russia's Mir space station said they have no safety concerns. It's not a complete redesign of the tank, Discovery's Flight Engineer Wendy Lawrence said. It's a modification that's based on lots and lots of research so we all feel very confident. (Reuters)
The test went better than anyone could have expected, he said. It's an excellent design and we expect to have no concerns with this tank. The new tank, which feeds the shuttle's main engines with about 1,000 gallons (3,800 liters) of rocket fuel a second, is to make its maiden flight on June 2 and is 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg) lighter than the old tank, which weighed 65,500 pounds (29,500 kg).
In Monday's test, engineers wanted to check for leaks and be sure the tank did not put unexpected stress on the struts that attach it to the shuttle's twin solid rocket motors. Twelve strain gauges on the struts detected nothing out of the ordinary as the tank was filled with frigid rocket fuel for the day-long checkout, officials said. The test was due to end on Monday evening with a simulation of the final minutes of a space shuttle countdown.
NASA plans to use the lightweight tank on all future shuttle missions. The bullet-shaped, rust-colored tank looks identical to its predecessors but was manufactured with a new alloy of aluminum and lithium, which is stronger and lighter than the metal used previously. Although initially there were problems welding the new material, NASA officials said those difficulties were overcome and six fuel tanks have now been built.
The astronauts who will ride the lightweight tank into orbit next month on NASA's last mission to Russia's Mir space station said they have no safety concerns. It's not a complete redesign of the tank, Discovery's Flight Engineer Wendy Lawrence said. It's a modification that's based on lots and lots of research so we all feel very confident. (Reuters)