- Author
- Stone, W. C. | Cheok, G. S.
- Title
- Post-MECO Propulsion System Requirements for Placement of an STS External Tank in Low Earth Orbit.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Book or Conf
- American Society of Civil Engineers. Engineering Construction, and Operations in Space II: Volume 2. Proceedings of Space 90. April 22-26, 1990, American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, Albuquerque, NM, Johnson, S. W.; Wetzel, J. P., Editors, 917-926 p., 1990
- Keywords
- atmospheric drag | external tanks | orbital lifetime | orbital mechanics | propulsion requirements | space shuttle
- Abstract
- This paper discusses the findings of a series of computer simulations carried out at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to investigate the requirements for powered flight of the external tank following separation from the Shuttle orbiter at main engine cutoff (MECO). The object of the investigation was to determine the minimum thrust and fuel requirements for an autonomous exterior propulsion package attached to the external tank to avoid re-entry on the critical first orbit, and to place the tank in a short term stable orbit from which customary orbit maintenance procedures may be carried out. It is shown that a 1000 lfb (4450 N) hydrogen/oxygen thruster is capable of boosting the tank to a transfer orbit with an apogee of 206 km and a perigee of 159 km by means of expending a 1100 lbm (500 kg) propellant at the initial orbit aporgee following MECO. The subsequent orbit will have a decay time of 46 hours (32 orbits) to re-entry under solar maximum conditions. Estimates for propellant mass required for subsequent boost to a 500 km altitude storage orbit are presented.