Q:
How Much Does the Space Shuttle Weigh?
A:
Quick Answer
According to the California Institute of Technology, a NASA space shuttle, by itself, weighed 165,000 pounds. When the weight of the external tank, the two solid rocket boosters and the fuel was included, the total weight came to 4.4 million pounds.
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Full Answer
The external tank by itself weighed 78,000 pounds and could hold 1.36 million pounds of liquid oxygen and 226,000 pounds of liquid hydrogen. The two solid rocket boosters weighed 185,000 pounds each and could each hold 1.1 million pounds of fuel. When in operation, the space shuttle could carry a maximum payload of 65 thousand pounds. NASA has retired its space shuttle fleet.
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