S-DUCT
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Yeah,thats because It uses LOX and kerosene.This fuel mixture gives more energy per mass volume than Hydrogen oxygen fuel mixture.With all the complicated design...SSME simply cannot generate enough thrust for lift off without solid rocket boosters.
While Buran's energia rocket did not need solid rocket boosters and gained lift off by liquidfuels alone.
SSME has the highest TWR among all cryogenic engines.