Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!uokmax!jabishop
From: jabishop@uokmax.uucp (Jonathan A Bishop)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Launch scrubbed
Message-ID: <1990Apr10.192721.31497@uokmax.uucp>
Date: 10 Apr 90 19:27:21 GMT
References: <4076@nmtsun.nmt.edu>
Organization: New Cate Space Agency
Lines: 17

In article <4076@nmtsun.nmt.edu> dbriggs@nrao.edu (Daniel Briggs) writes:
>Are the
>APUs just fuel cells ala Apollo, or are they something more
>sophisticated?  (BTW, I am under the impression that this is an
>acronym for Auxiliary Power Unit.  Am I right?)  Has any of the NASA

     No.  This sort of APU's are systems which, I believe, burn hydrazine fuel
in order to drive ammonia through a turbine to generate power.  They are used
only for launch and landing.  The Shuttle also carries three fuel cells which
generate electricity and drinking water.
     By the way, not all APU's are the same.  Many jet planes (esp. military
transports) carry an APU which is essentially a small jet engine.
-- 
jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu

"I'm President of the United States and I'm NOT going to eat any more
broccoli!" -- George Bush