I have changed jobs again since my last post. I am now an Industrial Engineer for Lockheed Martin, working on the external tank of the space shuttle. That's the big orange part that supports the solid rocket boosters and orbiter. The following are a few cool pics that I pulled off the internet.

This is a picture of a finished tank being moved from final assembly and testing to the barge on the Mississippi River in NOLA east. When empty, the predominately aluminum tank weighs only 58,000 lbs. Filled launchpad weight is 1.6 million lbs!

This is a picture that shows the internal structure of the tank. Contrary to what I thought when starting this job, this is not just a fuel tank. It absorbs all of the thrust force from both the orbiter and solid rocket boosters. Over 10 million pounds of thrust, by the way! All by a structure made totally of quarter-inch aluminum! No wonder they allow the $60,000,000.00 tank to burn up and explode after every launch. Would YOU want to ride on a refurbished one of these after it endured that kind of commuter miles?




This is a picture of a tank in the final phase of manufacture. Actually, this is the building where I am currently working and training. It is 3 stories, to give you a size reference.


















The most amazing part of this new job, to me, is that they hired some guy whose job for the last 11 years has been to inflict maximum damage and make things blow up. Last I heard they don't appreciate that sort of thing in this line of work. I guess it's that military understands the cost of someone screwing things up.

Anyway, I am a little out of my element at this new job. But it is very interesting, and I have broken anything yet, so I guess that's a good start.