morgan@h-sc1.UUCP (windsor morgan) (01/31/86)
This has probably been discussed before, but as I have never read this
group before today, I would like to know exactly what the thrust
percentage is of. That is, what is the '104%' 104% **of**? When I first
heard this on earlier shuttle flights, 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%?
I hope this is understandable. Please mail me the answer. Thanks.
--
Windsor Morgan
{decvax,ihnp4}!seismo!harvard!{h-sc1,h-sc4}!morgan
OR
{harvard,allegra,genrad,ihnp4}!wjh12!cfa!morganberry@tolerant.UUCP (David Berry) (02/03/86)
> > This has probably been discussed before, but as I have never read this > group before today, I would like to know exactly what the thrust > percentage is of. That is, what is the '104%' 104% **of**? When I first > heard this on earlier shuttle flights, I thought that it meant that the > shuttle was performing better than specifications, but during the ascents, *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** 100% is the maximum amount of power which can be applied continuously. The engines are actually capable of producing about 110% of the continuous power rating. -- David W. Berry dwb@well.UUCP Delphi: dwb {ucbvax,pyramid,idsvax,bene,oliveb}!tolerant!berry I'm only here for the beer.
allen@mmm.UUCP (Kurt Allen) (02/04/86)
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
morgan@h-sc1.UUCP (windsor morgan) (02/05/86)
In <902@h-sc1.UUCP> I asked: > > This has probably been discussed before, but as I have never read this > group before today, I would like to know exactly what the thrust > percentage is of. That is, what is the '104%' 104% **of**? When I first > heard this on earlier shuttle flights, 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%? > > I hope this is understandable. Please mail me the answer. Thanks. I received a number of replies, and the gist of it is that people think that the percentage refers to the original specifications: ---------------------(Message 1) From: harvard!topaz!nike!riacs!aurora!eugene (Eugene miya) To: ames!riacs!nike!topaz!harvard!h-sc1!morgan You will probably get a ton of these. The shuttle engines are rated about 119% of some original spec. We are working on improvements to take them even higher. The original spec has long since been dropped. --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center {hplabs,hao,dual,ihnp4,vortex}!ames!aurora!eugene eugene@ames-nas.ARPA -----------------------(Message 2) From: ingham <harvard!cmcl2!lanl!unm-la!unmvax!unmc.cc!ingham> To: unmvax.ARPA!lanl!cmcl2!harvard!h-sc1!morgan Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque the thrust is compared to the thrust produced by Columbia's original main engines. The engines have since been improved and can produce more thrust. Kenneth Ingham, UNM Computing Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, 505-277-8044 ~{pur-ee!purdue,ucbvax!lbl-csam,philabs!cmcl2}!lanl!unmc!ingham ~{convex,ucbvax,gatech,csu-cs,anl-mcs}!unmvax!unmc!ingham -------------------------------- Thanks a lot for your help in answering this question. -- 'Verily, there be no leader as wise as the Vision!' Windsor Morgan Harvard College Cambridge, MA 02138 {decvax,ihnp4}!seismo!harvard!{h-sc1,h-sc4}!morgan OR {harvard,allegra,genrad,ihnp4}!wjh12!cfa!morgan