What will NASA's new liquid hydrogen storage tank do?

To support fueling of NASA’s SLS rocket, Kennedy’s EGS Program soon will begin construction of the new liquid hydrogen storage tank at Pad 39B. The SLS rocket is designed to launch the agency’s Orion spacecraft, sending humans to distant destinations, such as the Moon and Mars.

Will NASA build the world's largest liquid hydrogen storage tank?

As NASA continues preparations for the first launch of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft that will send humans beyond low-Earth orbit, Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is preparing to build the world’s largest liquid hydrogen storage tank.

Where is liquid hydrogen stored before a rocket launch?

A few weeks before a rocket launch, liquid hydrogen is loaded into a tank truck and transported over land and sea routes to the Tanegashima Space Center. Until a few hours before the rocket is fueled, the liquid hydrogen is held in the Center’s huge tank.

How many gallons of propellant can a rocket hold?

Each of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks can hold more than 800,000 gallons of propellant. The liquid hydrogen, lighter than liquid oxygen, will make its way from the tank to the rocket using gaseous hydrogen to pressurize the sphere at the time of launch, while the liquid oxygen will be sent to the rocket via pumps.

What is Japan's largest liquid hydrogen storage tank?

Japan’s Largest Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank. The Intricacies of Keeping Hydrogen at -253°C At the Tanegashima Space Center and its liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage facilities, the LH2 rocket fuel is stored until a few hours before launch time.

How many M3 can a new rocket hold?

This new tank will give an additional storage capacity of 4,700 m3 for a total on-site storage capacity of roughly 8,000 m3. NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) heavy lift rocket for the Artemis program includes an LH2tank that makes up the bulk of the vehicle, holding 2,033 m3 of LH2 in its 8.4-m diameter by40-m height.