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I suppose that the external tanks may have been commissioned for specific missions, like Atlas IV and Delta V rockets were. Maybe this tank was commissioned for
by dotancohen 3y ago
I suppose that the external tanks may have been commissioned for specific missions, like Atlas IV and Delta V rockets were. Maybe this tank was commissioned for a mission that never flew, like the current museum Saturn Vs.
I remember, possibly incorrectly, that there was a contingency rescue mission stacked but not flown, though I think that the stack did fly on a NASA designated mission (as opposed to the usual Congress designated missions). Though I think that was Atlantis.
- rzzzt 3y agoThe external tank destined for display at the California Science Center is ET-94, the last flight-qualified external tank in existence. This lightweight tank (LWT) — donated to the Science Center by NASA — was ordered to support science missions for space shuttle Columbia. From https://californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/endeavour-experience/external-tank https://californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/endeavour-exper...
- dotancohen 3y agoColumbia, really? So there were about a dozen later launches that this tank could have flown on but didn't. I know that the ETs were updated after Columbia was lost, but I did not realize that a complete tank was built before the changes, yet not flown.
- dylan604 3y agoThere are lots of "stories" like this from space programs. The ESA "lost" the fuel tanks for their last Vega launch because they were just sitting around for so long they got crushed down into scrap metal because they were not entered into their asset management software.[0] [0] https://europeanspaceflight.com/the-case-of-the-missing-vega-avum-propellant-tanks/ https://europeanspaceflight.com/the-case-of-the-missing-vega...
- rzzzt 3y agoThe write-up continues a bit after my quote, they say that this one had pieces of foam removed as part of the post-accident investigations.
- badcppdev 3y agoI feel a bit sad about that. Thanks for sharing the link though.