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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!stolaf!mmm!allen
From: allen@mmm.UUCP (Kurt Allen)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Thrust percentage
Message-ID: <450@mmm.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Feb-86 10:49:06 EST
Article-I.D.: mmm.450
Posted: Tue Feb  4 10:49:06 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Feb-86 07:31:22 EST
References: <902@h-sc1.UUCP>
Reply-To: allen@mmm.UUCP (Kurt Allen)
Distribution: net
Organization: 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.
Lines: 25
Summary: 

In article <902@h-sc1.UUCP> morgan@h-sc1.UUCP (windsor morgan) writes:
>
> I would like to know exactly what the thrust
> percentage is of. That is, what is the '104%' 104% **of**?

	The 104 % is 104% of the original maximum rated power of the
	shuttle engines. The engines have been modified and rerated so
	that they can put out 109 % of the original maximum rated power.
	I don't believe that they have ever been run that high.

> I thought that it meant that the
> shuttle was performing better than specifications, but during the ascents,
> the thrust  **always** goes as high as 104%. Why this and not 100%?
>

	This change was made to the shuttle engines to allow the shuttle
	to carry more cargo into orbit. The current shuttle can not carry
	the 60,000 pounds of cargo into low earth orbit that it was
	originaly designed to do. I am not sure, but I think this is due
	to the shuttle being overweight.

-- 
	Kurt W. Allen
	3M Center
	ihnp4!mmm!allen