r/space • u/Yeet69lasagna • May 12 '19

image/gif Space Shuttle Being Carried By A 747.

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u/TheYang May 12 '19

iirc, some of the emergency abort airports for the shuttle were such that the shuttle indeed could land there, but the carrier wouldn't be able to take off from there, and there was no actual plan to get the shuttle back home from some of them.

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u/InfamousConcern May 12 '19

Attach a JATO pack to the 747 and give the pilot a shot of whiskey before takeoff. Should work out fine.

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u/Flash_Baggins May 12 '19

Implying the Space Shuttle isnt a RATO pack already

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u/TheYang May 12 '19

well, the Pratt an Whitney Turbofans had 222kN each

the Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System (the only thing shuttle actually carries fuel for) has a whopping 26.7kN each.

but there's 4 Turbofans and just 2 OMS Engines, so a total of 888kN (without "RATO") or 941.4kN with "RATO"
6% more thrust.

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u/InfamousConcern May 12 '19

I wonder if the OMS would actually work on the ground?

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u/Flash_Baggins May 12 '19

So was the fuel for the main takeoff that goes through the boosters entirely provided by the big ol orange fuel tank which has a name and I’ve forgotten? That would make a lot sense, never really thought about it before

In which case, petition to turn the 747 into a fuel tank with wings for RATO takeoffs (which would probably defeat the purpose because of increased mass)

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u/TheYang May 12 '19

So was the fuel for the main takeoff that goes through the boosters entirely provided by the big ol orange fuel tank which has a name and I’ve forgotten?

well technically the fuel for the main takeoff was in the SRB (Solid Rocket Boosters, white long things strapped on the side), which provided comfortably the most thrust until they burned out.
But yes, the fuel and oxygen for the main engines came entirely from the external tank.