Information on this page was found at Nasa Spaceflight.

The Space Shuttle

Overall, the shuttle program is also known as the Space Transportation System.

Solid Rocket Boosters(SRB)

Two solid rocket boosters are the main source of thrust that lift the shuttle off the pad. The boosters carry the entire weight of the orbiter and the extra fuel tank. The solid rocket boosters are ignited after the space shuttle's main engine's thrust level is verified. The SRB's(solid rocket boosters) are the largest solid propellant motors ever made, and also the first ones designed to be reused.

Extra Fuel Tank

The extra fuel tank is used to fuel the shuttle's three main engines during liftoff. Later, the extra fuel tank is jettisoned and breaks up in the earth's atmosphere. When loaded, the extra fuel tank is the heaviest part of the shuttle. It has three main parts, the forward liquid oxygen tank, an intertank, and the aft liquid hydrogen tank. The fuel tank is attached in three places, one forward and two aft. There are some cords that carry electrical power and signals, fluids and gases between the fuel tank and the orbiter. These cords are also used to send electrical signals and controls between the orbiter and the solid rocket boosters. This part of the assembly is not recovered.

The Orbiter

The orbiter is made primarily of aluminum. It has nine major sections: the forward fuselage, wings, midfuselage, aft fuselage, payload bay doors, forward reaction control system,vertical tail, orbital maneuvering system and reaction control system pods, and also the body flap. Most of these areas or protected by reusable surface insulation. The crew compartment is in the forward fuselage.

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