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By "main booster" did you mean the big red thing? That was a fuel storage tank and yes, it was not re-used.
by hylaride 6y ago
By "main booster" did you mean the big red thing? That was a fuel storage tank and yes, it was not re-used.
- DC-3 6y agoI believe it was actually one of the more strongly limiting factors on the frequency with which space shuttle launches could be conducted because the factory producing them could not turn them out particularly quickly.
- phkahler 6y agoBut it fed fuel to the 3 main engines on the orbiter, which were reused. The price of the tank should have been much lower than the engines.
- valuearb 6y agoEngines had to be totally rebuilt after each flight. SRBs cost around $70M each IIRC. The tank was extremely expensive because it had to be as light as possible, while keeping Hydrogen super chilled without leaking. They came out with lighter tanks later in program made out of more exotic materials.