Space Shuttle external tank

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/space-shuttle-external-tank

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary propellants?Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX)
2. What is the orbital insertion velocity?Approximately 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h)
3. Why is the external tank orange?The orange color comes from the spray‑on foam insulation that protects the cold fuels from heat and ice.
4. How does the external tank help the shuttle reach orbit?It stores and delivers the cryogenic propellants to the engines, which produce the thrust that lifts the shuttle to about 17,500 miles per hour.

Cryogenic Propellants: Propellants that must be stored at extremely low temperatures to remain liquid.
Ballistic Trajectory: The path of an object launched into space under the influence of gravity and air resistance.
Aerodynamic Heating: The increase in temperature of an object caused by friction with the air as it moves at high speed.