Encyclopedia Astronautica
STS External Tank Station

Ext Tank Station 88
Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

STS External Tanks S
Space station based on Shuttle external tank fitted out with surplus Skylab hardware from the National Air and Space Museum, concept of 1977.

Ext Tank Station
Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

Ext Tank Station
Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

Ext Tank Station
Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

Ext Tank Station
Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

Ext Tank Station
Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

Despite the incredible logic of this, NASA management never pursued it seriously - seeing it as an irresistible low-cost alternative to their own large modular space station plans.

• USA USA More...

• Manned Category of spacecraft. More...

• Space station Category of spacecraft. More...

• Space station orbit Category of spacecraft. More...

• US Space Stations Wernher von Braun brought Noordung's rotating station design with him from Europe. This he popularized in the early 1950's in selling manned space flight to the American public. By the late 1950's von Braun's team favoured the spent-stage concept - which eventually flew as Skylab. By the mid-1960's, NASA was concentrating on modular, purpose-built, zero-G stations. These eventually flew as the International Space Station. More...

• Shuttle American winged orbital launch vehicle. The manned reusable space system which was designed to slash the cost of space transport and replace all expendable launch vehicles. It did neither, but did keep NASA in the manned space flight business for 30 years. Redesign of the shuttle with reliability in mind after the Challenger disaster reduced maximum payload to low earth orbit from 27,850 kg to 24,400 kg. More...

• NASA Huntsville Army Ballistic Missile Agency, USA. More...

• NASA Report, Utilization of the external tanks of the space transportation system , Web Address when accessed: here .