Posted on 05/01/2018 7:49:49 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Boeing and NASA are working together in order to build the Space Launch System (SLS). The rocket is believed to be capable of transporting humans and cargo into deep space. According to reports, the rocket is estimated to be the most powerful rocket system ever built. Boeing also set up a promotional website for the rocket in which it calls out Elon Musks company SpaceX, calling the Falcon Heavy too small for deep space exploration.
The Falcon Heavy launch turned heads in February, but SpaceXs rocket is a smaller type of rocket that cant meet NASAs deep-space needs, the statement on Boeings site reads, in which the aerospace giant called the SpaceX Falcon Heavy too small for deep space. Once the Boeing-built SLS is operational, it will be the most powerful rocket ever built.
Such statements of the aerospace giant come after NASAs head of human spaceflight, Bill Gerstenmaier, reportedly said in March that the SLS will be equipped with certain unique capabilities that the Falcon Heavy lacks at the moment, ARS Technica reports.
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According to the report, its strange that Boeing speaks of the SLS as if its going to be built and ready for launch in the near future. In reality, the booster stage is not going to be capable of flight for at least two years. Furthermore, the rocket wont come anywhere close to the most powerful rocket tag, as the report notes.
Right now, the rocket with the most powerful rocket tag is still Saturn V, which NASA used during the Apollo missions.... The rockets were capable of carrying 118 metric tons into low Earth orbit (LEO). The first SLS rocket will be capable of lifting 70 tons to LEO, that is a tad higher compared to the 64 tons of the Falcon Heavy.
(Excerpt) Read more at valuewalk.com ...
That’s why SpaceX is building the BFR.
Well then going can stay home
Ya mean the BIG FUSION ROCKET.... ;)?
(just kidding)
SLS is years behind thanks to government. The Obama administration hamstrung the American space program, and now they’re trying to play catch up.
How are they defining Deep Space?
I would have guessed that meant Intergalactic Space, but I’m pretty sure that’s not on our current “to-do” list.
If they mean going to Mars, that doesn’t seem all that Deep to me.
Of course, America was once focused on the old “Northwest Territory” which was basically Ohio. So sometimes terms change their meaning as you go further out.
...and Boeing’s rocket will be cheaper as they will have it mostly built in China.
>>Ya mean the BIG FUSION ROCKET.... ;)?<<
BIG MASS FUSION ROCKET!!!
Biden:” the rocket is one BFD”! LOL!
“SLS is years behind thanks to government. The Obama administration hamstrung the American space program, and now theyre trying to play catch up.”
obama didn’t help things, but the first statement is the main reason, namely NASA, like ALL gov agencies eventually do, became ossified decades ago, and as a consequence NASA remains firmly in the 20th century ...
In spaceflight, deep space is generally accepted as being anything beyond earth orbit. The problem here is that Boeing is trying to compare apples and oranges. Elon Musk has stated himself that he no longer intends to man rate the Falcon Heavy, it’s not trying to compete with SLS. It DOES blow Boeing/ULA’s Delta IV Heavy out of the water and will directly compete for payloads that would have normally only had the option of flying on Delta IV Heavy. It can lift twice as much for a fraction of the cost of a Delta IV Heavy, even in fully expendable mode.
BFR is going to be man rated and compete with SLS, even if SpaceX isn’t admitting that yet. Oh, and just for book keeping purposes, for the 10 billion dollars spent on SLS development up to the end of 2017, not counting infrastructure costs like pad and crawler upgrades, you could have fully funded the development of Falcon Heavy and then had enough left over to buy 63 flights on Falcon Heavy in fully expendable mode. That’s enough lifting capability to send about 1 million kg of payload to Mars. Just saying.
Actually it’s far more expensive than Falcon Heavy. To the tune of billions of dollars more expensive. The development cost so far, and it hasn’t even flown yet so that number is still climbing, would be enough to fully develop the Falcon Heavy and fly it in fully expendable mode about 63 times. That’s enough to send about 1 million kg to Mars, or put about 4 million kg in low earth orbit. 4 million kg in low earth orbit would be about the quarter of the known mass of all known satellites ever launched combined, not counting classified payloads of course. Just some numbers to keep in mind.
Thanks BenLurkin. Because of the special election in Alabama, the SLS pork barrel is going nowhere (in every sense). This rewarmed version of the Shuttle is headed for nowhere. You've heard of the train to nowhere? The bridge to nowhere? The SLS is Boeing's rocket to nowhere.
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