re single launch space station andy cohen cohen ssdgwy mdc com writes the single launch core station concept a shuttle external tank and solid rocket boosters would be used to launch the station into orbit shuttle main engines would be mounted to the tail of the station module for launch and jettisoned after et separation karl dishaw mcimail com replied why jettison the ssmes why not hold on to them and have a shuttle bring them down to use as spares one performance reason comes to mind if you jettison the ssme s you don t have to drag them with you when you perform your circularization burn s on orbit ssme s are just dead weight since we don t have an ssme h o pressurization mechanism which works in zero g this means that you can t use them for re boost or anything else dead weight has a couple of advantages but more disadvantages throw away ssme s might let us use some of the old ssme s which are not quite man ratable but i doubt we d do that the cost of a launch failure is too high ken jenks nasa jsc gm space shuttle program office kjenks gothamcity jsc nasa gov development of the space station is as inevitable as the rising of the sun wernher von braun
