The SSME's are really considered big-ass jet engines, with even bigger afterburners.
Consider that all the action happens within the turbine pumps and pre-burners and gas generators and all that. This turbine makes 6000psi of pressure and a fuel vapor that has already been ignited and exploding and on fire way before it hits the final combustion chamber. This is called staged combustion.
Just like a jet engine with an afterburner, the SSME is a turbine that blasts out hot flaming gasses which are further ignited and exploded in the final stage - AFTERBURNER!
So really, the final combustion chamber a monster-sized afterburner!
One other bit of trivia, the SSME controller is based on the venerable 68000 CPU, good enough.. But they paired that modern piece of silicon with plated wire memory!!
Core memory with a modern microprocessor! Pretty slick eh?
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_main_engine"]Space Shuttle main engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
Consider that all the action happens within the turbine pumps and pre-burners and gas generators and all that. This turbine makes 6000psi of pressure and a fuel vapor that has already been ignited and exploding and on fire way before it hits the final combustion chamber. This is called staged combustion.
Just like a jet engine with an afterburner, the SSME is a turbine that blasts out hot flaming gasses which are further ignited and exploded in the final stage - AFTERBURNER!
So really, the final combustion chamber a monster-sized afterburner!
One other bit of trivia, the SSME controller is based on the venerable 68000 CPU, good enough.. But they paired that modern piece of silicon with plated wire memory!!
Core memory with a modern microprocessor! Pretty slick eh?
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_main_engine"]Space Shuttle main engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]