Space Shuttle Program History: Lessons Learned From Space Shuttle External Tank Development - A Technical History of the External Tank

This report details the technical history of developing the Space Shuttle External Tank and documents lessons learned during that effort. Development is chronicled beginning with the pre-proposal phase, then the proposal phase, through early design and test programs, continuing through Lightweight External Tank development, Challenger impacts, environmental effects, and finally ending with development of the Super Lightweight Tank.

Contents: 1.0 Pre Proposal Phase * 2.0 Proposal Phase * 3.0 Early Design * 4.0 Test Program * 4.1 Materials * 4.2 Components * 4.3 Major Ground Tests * 4.3.1 Structural Tests * 4.3.2 Dynamic Test * 4.3.3 Propulsion Tests * 5.0 Lightweight External Tank * 6.0 Challenger Impacts * 7.0 Environmental Effects * 8.0 Super Lightweight Tank (SLWT) * 8.1 Lessons Learned from SLWT Effort * Appendix A * Acronyms and Abbreviations