Commercial operations for the External Tank in orbit

The present mission profiles for the space transportation system call for the jettisoning of the External Tank (ET) after the launching operation. It is proposed to take the ET into orbit. The implementation of this proposal is expected to produce additional Shuttle performance for two reasons. First, the elimination of the ET jettison maneuver provides additional fuel. Second, the new mission profile allows the Shuttle engines to burn more of the fuel remaining in the ET after shutdown. Using the ET as a basic component, a low-cost facility in Low Earth Orbit could be made available to a variety of users. The facility is constructed by employing the Aft Cargo Container (ACC) attached to an ET taken into orbit. The ACC offers 126% of the volume available in the cargo bay of the Shuttle. The single ACC can be developed into a stand alone living and working orbital facility.