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"Derek Lyons" wrote in message ... "Jeff Findley" wrote: Exactly. And the ET, as designed and built, needs its aluminum-lithium structure to remain cold since it's quite a bit stronger at LH2/LOX temperatures than even at room temperature. Add to that the effects of aerodynamic heating, and you'll find that you really do need the foam on the outside. In other words, George (incorrectly) stated as a general principle something that appears to be Shuttle specific. Other vehicles have the same issue to deal with if they use cryogenic propellants and metallic tanks that are integral structural components. They may not have to deal with the aerodynamic heating issue as much because their nose is a payload shroud, not a LOX tank. But in general, you can make your metallic cryogenic tanks lighter by insulating the outside rather than the inside. You also don't have to worry about the insulation coming loose and being ingested by the LH2/LOX intakes. Jeff -- Remove icky phrase from email address to get a valid address. |
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