N.A.S.A. Space Shuttle
SSME Baseline		 Space Shuttle
SSME Phase-1		 Space Shuttle
SSME Phase-2		 Space Shuttle
SSME Phase-2
Overall
Vehicle		 Operational from 12.04.1981 04.04.1983 29.09.1988
  to 11.11.1982 28.01.1986 23.07.1999
Orbital flights   5 20 57
Payload weight t STS-5 14.555 STS-25 23.733 STS-26 21.088 STS- 30 20.344
Gross liftoff weight t ~2,046 ~2,055 ~2,048 ~2,051
Gross propellant weight t < 1,743.71 < 1,748.85 < 1,749.32 < 1,749.32
Total length m 56.14 56.14 56.14 56.14
Max. diameter (span) m 23.79 23.79 23.79 23.79
Total liftoff thrust (s.l.) kN 29,738 29,738 31,827 31,827
Total impulse (vac) MN*s < 5,817.7 < 5,840.7 < 5,932.2 < 5,932.2

Bay

 Total length m 18.29 18.29 18.29 18.29
Diameter m 4.57 4.57 4.57 4.57
Total weight t - - - -

Orbiter

 Name   Columbia Challenger Discovery Atlantis
  Length m 37.24 37.24 37.24 37.24
Diameter m        
Liftoff weight (excl. payload) t 97.536 98.209 94.407 97.610
Propellant weight t < 21.650 < 21.650 < 21.650  < 21.650
Engines 2 OMS AJ-10-190 AJ-10-190 AJ-10-190 AJ-10-190
Propellant  

MMH/N2O4

MMH/N2O4

MMH/N2O4

MMH/N2O4
Total thrust (vac) kN 53.4 53.4 53.4 53.4
Specific impulse (vac) N*s/kg 2886 2886 2886 2886
Burn time s  < 1,170  < 1,170 < 1,170 < 1,170
Total impulse (vac) MN*s < 62.5 < 62.5 < 62.5  < 62.5

Stage 1

 Name   External Tank 1 External Tank 2 LWET LWET
  Length m 46.88 46.88 46.88 46.88
Diameter m 8.41 8.41 8.41 8.41
Liftoff weight t 754.53 756.49 754.58 754.58
Propellant weight t 719.11 724.25 724.25 724.25
Engines 3 Rock. SSME Rock. SSME Rock. SSME Rock. SSME
Propellant   LH2/LOX LH2/LOX LH2/LOX LH2/LOX
Total thrust (s.l.) kN 5,004.0 5,004.0 5,004.0 5,004.0
Specific impulse (s.l.) N*s/kg 3550 3550 3557 3557
Burn time s 515 509.5 510.5 510.5
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 3,198.0 3,221.0 3,227.4 3,227.4

Booster

 Name   2 SRM-1 2 SRM-2 2 RSRM 2 RSRM
  Length m 45.46 45.46 45.46 45.46
Diameter m 3.71 3.71 3.71 3.71
Liftoff weight t 1,179.50 1,176.60 1,178.20 1,178.20
Propellant weight t 1,002.95 1,002.95 1,003.42 1,003.42
Engines   Thiokol Thiokol Thiokol Thiokol
Propellant   solid PBAN solid PBAN solid PBAN solid PBAN
Total thrust (s.l.) kN 24,734 (max) 24,734 (max) 26,823 (max) 26,823 (max)
Specific impulse (s.l.) N*s/kg 2324 2324 2375 2383
Burn time s 123 123 122.2 122.2
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 2,557.2 2,557.2 2,642.3 2,642.3