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The Space Shuttle Engines Will Rise Again

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by NYC Fred, Jul 7, 2021.

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  1. NYC Fred

    NYC Fred F1 World Champ
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    #1 NYC Fred, Jul 7, 2021
    I guess, "if it ain't broke..."

    ((The 212-foot-tall rocket, the core stage and final major piece of NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS), arrives at Kennedy Space Center. Assembly begins within the towering, iconic Vehicle Assembly Building, which hasn’t seen a human-rated deep space rocket since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago.

    But the SLS isn’t an all-new ride; it’s got some familiar parts. Mounted at the bottom of the center stage are four RS-25 engines supplied by Aerojet Rocketdyne. Originally designed in the 1970s, the engines are seasoned, upgraded veterans, with 25 previous Space Shuttle flights among them. The most poignant of the four is engine number 2060, used on July 8, 2011 to launch the shuttle’s final mission, STS-135.))

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  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 tazandjan, Jul 7, 2021
    SSME was a good motor, especially if not pushed to 108% like they did with the STS. They did a mod part way through the STS program that cost them some Isp and they had to do something to get the performance back.

    We were going to use a modified SSME on Phantom Express.
     
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  3. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    #3 BMW.SauberF1Team, Jul 8, 2021
    These will be pushed to 111%, but they say it should be no problem.
     
  4. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 tazandjan, Jul 8, 2021
    No, it just shortens life.
     
  5. NYC Fred

    NYC Fred F1 World Champ
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    #5 NYC Fred, Jul 9, 2021
    After this much time, does it matter?

    I'm just amazed that somebody somewhere realized these engines were still viable and good for this application.

    I imagine a few $$ were saved in the process, which for a Fed program amazes me even more.
     
  6. jcurry

    jcurry Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 jcurry, Jul 9, 2021
    Except, none of the 1st stage components of the SLS will be recovered. So these VERY expensive engines will be one shot. That's about as short of life as you can get. So hold on to your amazement.;)
     
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  7. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 tazandjan, Jul 9, 2021
    Affirmative, a lot of wasted technology in them, but there were many off the shelf components available, so it made sense. We were doing mods on the RS-25, renamed AR-22, for improved reusability. Aerojet-Rocketdyne actually did a 10 runs in 10 days test to demonstrate one of the XSP/Phantom Express requirements. Most of our mods were for improved reliability and quicker turn times. XSP was shorthand for experimental spaceplane. AR-22 below.

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  8. NYC Fred

    NYC Fred F1 World Champ
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    #8 NYC Fred, Jul 9, 2021
    After this much time, does it matter?

    I'm just amazed that somebody somewhere realized these engines were still viable and good for this application.

    I imagine a few $$ were saved in the process, which for a Fed program amazes me even more.
    So, after being 'recycled' on the Shuttle however many times, this is IT for them?

    Amazement held.
     
  9. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 tazandjan, Jul 9, 2021
    Yup, expendable is expendable.
     
  10. BMW.SauberF1Team

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    #10 BMW.SauberF1Team, Jul 9, 2021
    That is a good point. Unlike the shuttle that had them reused these will be one-time use only. $100 million a piece I think for the new contract it said for 16 more or something with 4 used per launch.
     
  11. jcurry

    jcurry Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 jcurry, Jul 9, 2021
    That entire lot (16) may be leftover from STS.

    Seems they should have an alternate plan to use Falcons or BE4’s
     
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  12. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    #12 BMW.SauberF1Team, Jul 9, 2021
    Yes my mistake. That 2015 NASA contract for those 16 was for the mothballed engines. I guess I read past the part in the article that the contract also includes restarting production to make 6 new ones as well for a total of 22. And I got the $ wrong, too, yikes! $1.16 billion and not $1.6 billion. So $52.7 million per engine.

     
  13. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    #13 boxerman, Jul 9, 2021
    Theyre on a one way trip sadly. Seems a shame to waste them like this.
     
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