SST - Space Shuttle Technology Overview Quiz

SST - A Brief Overview of Space Shuttle Technology

The Space Transportation System (SST) is commonly known as the Space Shuttle, which was a partially reusable orbital spacecraft system operated by NASA from 1981 through 2011. This article provides a brief overview of the history behind this remarkable technology.

Origins and Development

The idea for developing a reusable space vehicle dates back to the late 1950s when Wernher von Braun began studying how rocket engines could be modified to operate like airplane engines. However, it wasn't until President John F. Kennedy's 1961 commitment to sending astronauts to the Moon before the Soviet Union that plans for the shuttle were accelerated.

In 1972, NASA initiated design studies for an orbiting spaceplane called the Orbiting Reentry Vehicle. The following year, this evolved into the Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) concept, with two versions developed--the VentureStar Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) and the Hughes VentureStar SSOT. In 1976, these concepts lost out to the Shuttle Concept, which became the final design of the Space Shuttle.

Design and Construction

The Space Shuttle had three main components: the Orbiter, which housed the crew and payload; the External Tank; and the pair of Solid Rocket Boosters. These parts were designed and built by various contractors, including Boeing, Rockwell International, and Lockheed Martin.

External Tanks

The External Tank, made primarily of aluminum alloy, held liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants for the Main Engines located within the Shuttle's fuselage.

Solid Rocket Boosters

The Solid Rocket Boosters were built by Thiokol Corporation and gave the Space Shuttle its lift off power. Each booster contained six solid fuel segments packed around a hollow steel casing.

Launch and Return

At launch, the Space Shuttle would reach speeds close to Mach 20 before the first stage separated, leaving the External Tank and the Solid Rocket Boosters behind. Once in orbit, the Shuttle would return to Earth and glide back down, landing on the runway like an aircraft.

Retirement and Future Plans

After 135 missions between 1981 and 2011, including deployments of satellites, construction of the International Space Station, and scientific research, the Space Shuttle program came to an end due to budget constraints and limited commercial potential. Now, efforts are being made to develop a successor to the Space Shuttle, such as the proposed Vulcan rocket.

In conclusion, the Space Shuttle represented a significant milestone in space exploration, demonstrating a new level of reusability and versatility that continue to influence modern space travel today.