From NASANews@luna.osf.hq.nasa.govThu Feb  1 19:29:58 1996
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 1996 13:30:56 -0500
From: NASA HQ Public Affairs Office <NASANews@luna.osf.hq.nasa.gov>
To: press-release-com@mercury.hq.nasa.gov
Subject: Super Lightweight External Tank Certification Testing to
Begin

Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, DC              February 1, 1996
(Phone:  202/358-1778)

June Malone
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
(Phone:  205/544-7061)

RELEASE:  96-20

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT EXTERNAL TANK CERTIFICATION TESTING TO BEGIN 

     A new super lightweight external tank for the Space 
Shuttle took an important first step toward flight today 
with the arrival of a special test article at NASA's 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL.

     The Aluminum Lithium Test Article arrived at Marshall 
by barge for testing at the Center's Structural and Dynamic 
Test Stand.  Over the next six months, the test article 
will undergo pressure and other tests to simulate the 
launch environment to verify the structural design of the tank.

     "This is a significant milestone for the Super 
Lightweight Tank program," said External Tank Project 
Manager Parker Counts.  "We're excited about testing the 
special segment at Marshall and making a significant move 
toward flight certification and eventual first flight."

     While the test article is only 40 feet long, compared 
to the 154 feet of an external tank, its diameter of 27 
feet is the same.  It also includes a new structural design 
that will be incorporated in the new super lightweight 
tank.  The test article is essentially a modified segment 
of the aluminum lithium liquid hydrogen tank with a liquid 
oxygen tank dome at one end.  The special test segment 
replicates design enhancements that are built into all four 
of the sections that will make up the new liquid hydrogen tank.  

    The new external tank will be the same size as the 
current one but will be approximately 7500 pounds lighter.  
"Each pound we can take from the external tank is one more 
pound we can take to orbit.  This becomes especially 
important when launching the international Space Station 
into its proper orbit in 1997," Counts said.  

     The super lightweight tank will be constructed of 
aluminum lithium which is a lighter, stronger material than 
the metal alloy currently used in the production of the 
Space Shuttle's external tank. Taking advantage of the high 
strength, lower density properties of aluminum lithium, the 
walls of the hydrogen tank will be manufactured in an 
orthogonal waffle-like pattern.

     The Shuttle's current external tank as well as the new 
super lightweight tank are manufactured by Lockheed Martin 
Corp. at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, LA.   The tank 
contains the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants 
consumed by the Shuttle's three main engines during launch.  
The External Tank Project is managed for the Space Shuttle 
program at Marshall.

                - end -

NASA press releases and other information are available 
automatically by  sending an Internet electronic mail 
message to domo@hq.nasa.gov.  In the body of the message 
(not the subject line) users should type the words 
"subscribe press-release" (no quotes).  The system will 
reply with a confirmation via E-mail of each subscription.  
A second automatic message will include additional 
information on the service.  NASA releases also are 
available via CompuServe using the command GO NASA.
