The Main Propulsion Test Article External Tank (MPTA-ET) was built by NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 to be used in conjunction with MPTA-098

MPTA-098

The Main Propulsion Test Article was built by Rockwell International as a testbed for the definitive propulsion and fuel delivery systems for the U.S...

 for structural tests of the Space Shuttle Main Engine

Space Shuttle main engine

The RS-25, otherwise known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine , is a reusable liquid-fuel rocket engine built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne for the Space Shuttle, running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Each Space Shuttle was propelled by three SSMEs mated to one powerhead...

s prior to construction of flyable craft. It rolled off the assembly line on September 9, 1977 at Michoud Assembly Facility

Michoud Assembly Facility

The Michoud Assembly Facility is an 832-acre site owned by NASA and located in New Orleans East, a large district within the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Organizationally, it is part of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center...

 in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...

, and was then transported to the National Space Technology Laboratories in southern Mississippi where it was used in the static test firing of the Shuttle's cluster of three main engines.

Present status

The MPTA-ET is currently mated to the Space Shuttle Pathfinder

Space Shuttle Pathfinder

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 mock-up, and two Advanced Solid Rocket Booster

Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster

The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters were the pair of large solid rockets used by the United States' NASA Space Shuttle during the first two minutes of powered flight. Together they provided about 83% of liftoff thrust for the Space Shuttle. They were located on either side of the rusty or...

 casings as a complete shuttle stack. The setup is on display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....

.