By Kelly Anne

February 24, 2014

Informational Writing
Space Shuttles
Space Shuttles are fascinating objects. Have you ever wondered what makes a space
shuttle reach outer space? Space shuttles have three main parts that propel them into Space,
the Shuttle (also known as the Orbiter), the Solid Rocket Boosters, and the External Fuel Tank.
These three elements together are known as the Shuttle Stack. Each part has a specific job
that helps the shuttle reach its destination. Without these three parts working smoothly
together, the Shuttle would not be able to make it into Space. In fact, in the year 2003, these
three parts did not effectively do their job, resulting in the deadly explosion of the Space
Shuttle Columbia.
The Solid Rocket Booster (or SRB) is one of the important parts of the Shuttle Stack. It is
comprised of two thin rockets and their job is to boost the Orbiter into the air. As soon as the
SRBs are ignited during takeoff, it is impossible to turn them off. Flames shoot down through
the SRBs to ignite the fuel and they contain enough fuel to push the rocket very quickly into the
sky. Once the Solid Rocket Boosters run out of fuel at around 28 miles in the sky, they detach
from the External Fuel Tank and parachute down into the ocean. Once they land in the ocean,
they are recovered and used in future launches. (Dumoulin) The fuel used to propel the Solid
Rocket Boosters is comprised of a combination of powdered aluminum and ammonium
perchlorate. (Dumoulin) When these chemicals are dried, they feel exactly like a rubber
eraser! Because these materials are solids, they give the Solid Rocket Boosters the Solid part

of their name. (Chen) The Orbiter and the External Fuel Tank continue into the atmosphere on
their own.
The External Fuel Tank (or ET) is the main gas tank for the Orbiter. The tank holds liquid
oxygen and liquid hydrogen as its fuel. These two chemicals are extremely cold (between -200
and -400 degrees Fahrenheit) and require a special foam around the tank to insulate the tank
and keeps it at a reasonable temperature. (Chen) After the Solid Rocket Boosters detach from
the External Fuel Tank and Orbiter, it continues to help the Orbiter into Space until the Orbiter
is functioning on its own. Then, at about 70 miles above the earth, the External Fuel Tank
detaches from the Orbiter and burns up in the earths atmosphere on its way back down. At
this point, the Orbiter is the only piece of the Shuttle Stack remaining, and it continues its
mission to Space.
The Orbiter is both the brains and heart of the Space Transportation System. (Wilson)
It is the home to the astronauts and is where they live and do their work. In the Orbiter you
can find three main sections: the front, the middle, and the end. The front section is where the
astronauts live. It also has a flight deck with a commanders seat and pilots seat. Up to seven
crew members can stay in the Orbiter at a time. In the middle of the orbiter is the storage area
for food and the area for sleeping. They also safely store extra gear in case it is needed. Just
like an airplane, the front and the middle sections are pressurized, necessary at high altitudes in
order to protect astronauts from running out of oxygen. Lastly, in the rear of the Orbiter you
can find the maneuvering systems made up of rocket engines, the main engines, and extra
tanks. (Wilson) The Orbiter uses these engines to return to Earth.

In the end, you can see that it is necessary for a Space Shuttle to have the three main
parts, the Orbiter, the Solid Rocket Booster, and the External Fuel Tank, during its flight into
Space. Without these three important and specific parts, astronauts would not be able to
travel thousands of miles into our Solar System. The Solid Rocket Boosters initially push the
shuttle off the ground while the External Fuel Tank propels the Shuttle through the
atmosphere. Finally, the Shuttle is left with the power of its own rockets to maneuver its way
through Space and back to Earth. Getting into Space to perform necessary and historic
research, took the teamwork of the machinery in a Shuttle Stack.

Works Cited
Dumoulin, Jim. Solid Rocket Boosters. 13 August 2000. 14 February 2014.
<http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/srb.html>.
How Space Shuttle Works. Dir. Andy Chen. 2011. 15 February 2014.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF-QXK5f8SM>.
Wilson, Jim. Space Shuttle: The Orbiter. 5 march 2006. 15 February 2014.
<http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/system/system_Orbiter.html>.