SPACE SHUTTLE MMN ENGINE (SSME) OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE SHUTTLE

The main engines for the Future Shuttle will focus on improved safety and operability. Performance enhancements may also be required for vehicle safety purposes to achieve more desirable abort scenarios. This paper discusses the potential improvements that will be considered for implementation into the Future Shuttle. Integrated engine and vehicle health management systems will achieve additional system-level reliability improvements over those currently in development. Advanced instrumentation for detecting leaks, analyzing component wear and degradation, and providing sophisticated operational data will be used for reliable engine control and scheduling maintenance operations. A new nozzle and main combustion chamber (MCC) will reduce failure probability by 50% and allow for higher thrust capability without requiring the entire engine to be redesigned. Turbopump improvements may range |rom minor component improvements to using 3rd-generation pumps built on the advanced concepts demonstrated by the Integrated Powerhead Development (IPD) program and the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) prototype engines. Introduct ion The Space Shuttle is expected to be operational for two to three decades into the 21 st century. So the question is not whether there will be a space shuttle, but rather what will it be like. From a propulsion perspective, it will likely continue as a two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The boosters could be liquid or solid propulsion, but the main engines will remain liquid oxygen (LOX)/liquid hydrogen engines. This paper examines some potential requirements for the Future Shuttle main engines, and presents some options for achieving those goals