Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tekig5!philj
From: philj@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM (Phil Jansen)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Improving main engine power
Summary: why?
Message-ID: <5104@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM>
Date: 29 Nov 89 17:46:14 GMT
References: <1989Nov23.165606.27671@utzoo.uucp> <117.UUL1.3#5131@mvac23.UUCP>
Reply-To: philj@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM (Phil Jansen)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.
Lines: 14

Hi.  I heard a rumor that NASA was working on improving the shuttle main
engine thrust by 50%  (maximum power right now is 104% -- they froze the
standard thrust rating at 100% power, then kept improving the engine).

My question is, why improve thrust to ~150%?  Since the shuttle was designed
for only 3G's of acceleration, what good does the extra power do?  Doesn't it
just mean you use your fuel faster?

Thanks for your explanations.

-- 
                          If you repeat things often enough, they become true.
Phil Jansen               If you repeat things often enough, they become true.
philj@tekig5.pen.tek.com  If you repeat things often enough, they become true.