dsc96206.jpg

Tucked away in a corner outside the main entrance to Building 4205 were three signs with no accompanying engines. This one reads

The Space Shuttle Main Engine

Marshall's Legacy of Flight

Three space shuttle main engines power the space shuttle orbiter, NASA's flagship launch vehicle since 1981.

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages all shuttle propulsion elements, including the space shuttle main engines. NASA engineers have continually upgraded and refined the engines during the lifetime of the shuttle fleet. Most recently, Marshall unveiled the stronger, more durable, more efficient Block II space shuttle main engine, which first flew on the STS-104 mission in 2001.

SSME Quick Facts

Propellants:	Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Hydrogen (5.5 mix)
Thrust (at sea Level):	275,000 lbs
Height:	14 feet
Diameter:	7.5 feet
Dry Weight:	7,000 lbs
First Flight:	1981
Last Flight:	Ongoing
No. of Flights:	Ongoing