Space shuttle with rail system and aft thrust structure securing solid rocket boosters to external tank

摘要

A space shuttle system (11) having an orbiter spacecraft (16) with main rocket engines (43) a large external propellant tank (12), and two solid rocket boosters (13,14). The propellant tank (12) has a forward pressure vessel (19) for liquid hydrogen and an aft pressure vessel (20) for liquid oxygen. The two solid rocket boosters (13, 14) are joined together by a thrust frame (15) which extends behind the external tank. The thrust of the orbiter's main rocket engines (43) are transmitted to the aft portion of the external tank (12).