The Early Years
NASA began studying Shuttle concepts in the late 1960s and
formally started the Space Shuttle Program in 1972. Marshall Space
Flight Center (MSFC) was assigned responsibility
for developing the Space Shuttle's main engines (SSMEs), external
tank (ET), reusable solid rocket motors (RSRM), and solid rocket booster
(SRB) components. Most development
and
testing occurred during 1972-81. Work on design enhancements continues
today.
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Main Engines
The main engines were built and tested by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne - UTC in California,
and test-fired at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
A main propulsion test article connected three engines, an external
tank, and an orbiter section, allowing engineers to run countdowns
and simulate launch.
The main propulsion test article at Stennis Space Center fired a three-engine
cluster attached to an external tank to validate main propulsion performance.
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Orbiter Flight Testing
The Shuttle orbiter was developed and tested by Johnson Space
Center. During five approach and landing tests at Edwards Air Force
Base, California, the Space Shuttle Enterprise was flown by two-astronaut
crews simulating the last stages of a return from orbit (1977-78).
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Solid Rockets
The solid rocket motors were built and tested at ATK Thiokol's facility
near Promontory, Utah. The solid rocket booster components were designed
and developed by the engineering laboratories at MSFC.
A solid rocket
motor is test-fired horizontally in Utah's Wasatch Mountains.
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Simulated Launch Testing
The Enterprise was subjected to simulated ignitions and launch
vibration at test stands at MSFC.
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External Tank
At MSFC, the oxygen and hydrogen sections of the external tank
were tested. The mated vertical ground vibration tests (1978-79) at
MSFC joined all the elements of the Shuttle for the first time to simulate
launch vibrations. ET and SRB structures were subjected to rigorous
shake and stress testing.
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First Launch - April 12, 1981
All the planning, building, and testing culminated on April
12, 1981, when Space Shuttle Columbia was launched on the first Shuttle
mission. The perfect two-day mission demonstrated that the team's vision
had opened a new era of space exploration. Since then more than 100
missions have been flown.
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