One of the chief components of the Space Shuttle Launch System was its liquid hydrogen/oxygen filled external tanks. Each tank, which measure 154 ft long and 27 feet in diameter, carried all of the fuel needed for the 8.5 minute flight from Earth to low orbit.
Aside from being the largest component in the Shuttle system, the giant cylinder also acted as the structural backbone for the entire vehicle. In the image above workers at the Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, LA put the finishing touches on an external tank that was delivered to NASA in August of 1977.
Image and Video Courtesy of NASA