Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!hplabs!hp-ses!hpcc01!hpwrce!howeird
From: howeird@hpwrce.HP.COM (Howard Stateman)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: 104% on shuttle launch
Message-ID: <9130003@hpwrce.HP.COM>
Date: 24 Apr 89 19:50:34 GMT
References: <883@sactoh0.UUCP>
Organization: Ye Olde Salt Mines
Lines: 27

>My personal opinion, and something that I certainly don't know as fact, would
>be that the engines used were originally expected to operate at a level X,
>or 100%.  But, the production engines actually operate at X+4%, or 104%.
>
>That's what seems a little better to me, but again, I could be absolutely
>wrong.
>
     >- Jeff Boerio

You're absolutely wrong, Jeff.   :-)

Seriously, when I read your response I thought you were joking, till I
saw this last line.

Every engine I have ever seen has had the ability to be pushed beyond its
limits. It's why they have a red line on the tachometer in your average
sports car (Camaro, Firebird, etc). I find it hard to believe that the
folks at NASA have build an engine which only operates at peak efficiency.
mostly because there is no such thing.

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|Howard Stateman, Hewlett-Packard Response Center, Mountain View, CA |
|howeird@hpwrce.HP.COM      or     hplabs!hpwrce!howeird             |
|Disclaimer: I couldn't possibly speak for HP. I know too much.      |
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