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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Throttling the Challenger
Message-ID: <8845@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Oct-87 16:33:03 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.8845
Posted: Wed Oct 28 16:33:03 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Oct-87 16:33:03 EST
References: <340@ablnc.ATT.COM> <3143@ames.arpa>, <6563@ut-ngp.UUCP> <8796@utzoo.UUCP>, <201@splut.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 14
Keywords: Challenger Throttle

> ... I don't believe this is true.  The Shuttle engine is rather rare
> in that it can be throttled over almost a 2:1 range.  Most rocket engines
> are, in fact, designed to run at a particular setting...

However, modest changes in the setting are generally feasible if thought
about and done ahead of time.  The engine control systems may well need
alterations to get the setting you are after, but the guts of the engine
are usually happy over a moderate range of thrust settings.

Case in point:  the Chinese run their Long March engines at about 80% of
their "rated" thrust, for greater reliability.
-- 
PS/2: Yesterday's hardware today.    |  Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
OS/2: Yesterday's software tomorrow. | {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,utai}!utzoo!henry