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Which parts of the space shuttle does the source describe as reusable across multiple flights?
AThe entire spacecraft, including the liquid fuel tank
BOnly the large liquid fuel tank itself
CThe solid fuel boosters and the orbiter itself
DNone of the shuttle's parts were ever reused
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. The solid fuel boosters and the orbiter itself
1. The space shuttle was an attempt at an economical vehicle with some reusable parts.
2. It states that the solid fuel boosters were recovered and refueled after each flight, and the entire orbiter returned to Earth for reuse.
3. The large liquid fuel tank, by contrast, was expended and not reused.
4. So reusability applied to the boosters and the orbiter, not to the whole spacecraft including the tank, and it clearly was not the case that nothing was ever reused.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 "Linear Momentum and Collisions", section 8.7 Introduction to Rocket Propulsion_
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