06. What is the maximum weight you can have on the ship? How much can the average Space Shuttle orbiter hold? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

The NASA Space Shuttle orbiter is designed to carry a payload of 65,000 pounds and a crew of eight, or perhaps ten in an emergency. It weighs about 172,000 pounds empty and up to 245,000 pounds when loaded for launch. (Ref.1)

Ref 1.NASA, National Space Transportation System Reference, Volume 1 Systems and Facilities, June 1988. This document is available on the Internet at: http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/stsreftoc.html#sts-umbilical-doors

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Answer provided by Jon H. Brown

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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