- Author
- Stone, W. C. | Cheok, G. S.
- Title
- Autonomous Propulsion System Requirements for Placement of an STS External Tank in Low Earth Orbit.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NISTIR 89-4208, November 1989, 16 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- atmospheric drag | external tanks | orbital lifetime | orbital mechanics | propulsion requirements | space shuttle
- Abstract
- This paper discusses the findings of an extensive 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 through the thermosphere 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 in order 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. Descritpions are given for the differential equations of motion, and the atmospheric drag and propulsion models used in the equations.