| PROPULSION ENGINE TYPES | ||
The Shuttle’s two large rocket boosters are solid-fueled. These generate most of the thrust required to lift the shuttle at launch. Containing over one million pounds of propellant each, the boosters burn out after about 2 minutes (the Challenger disaster in 1986 occurred when one of them failed). The main engines of the Shuttle are liquid-fueled. The liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen fueled engines burn for about 8.5 minutes. They shut down just as the craft is inserted into orbit. |
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