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From: ins_aeas@jhunix.UUCP (Earle A .Sugar)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Fuel reserve
Message-ID: <1689@jhunix.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Feb-86 10:37:54 EST
Article-I.D.: jhunix.1689
Posted: Sat Feb  1 10:37:54 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Feb-86 05:31:09 EST
References: <4270@mhuxd.UUCP> <437@umich.UUCP> <1688@jhunix.UUCP>
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University
Lines: 25

> In article <437@umich.UUCP> cja@umich.UUCP (Charles J. Antonelli) writes:
> >During an abort I suspect the orbiter must be flown away from the
> >tank/SRB assembly.  Does anyone know if there is a small fuel
> >reserve within the orbiter for such an occasion?
> 
> The orbiter has to have enough fuel on-board to eject from orbit and land.  
> I'm sure that this fuel would be used in an abort if a fuel reserve was
> necessary.
The shuttle, as far as I understand, has fuel on board for the OMS (Orbital
Manuvering System) rockets that make attitude and minor altitude corrections
in orbit, but this system is separate from the main engines used for launch.
I doubt that the tiny manuvering rockets would have much effect on an object
of such mass as the space shuttle in addition to overcoming the aerodynamic
forces acting on the vehicle in an atmosphere.
-- 
______________________________________________________________________________

Earle A. Sugar
Disclaimer:"I doubt anyone else here agrees with me."
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