Posted on 01/16/2014 5:20:49 AM PST by C19fan
It is set to become the largest rocket ever built, dwarfing the rockets that took man to the moon and paving the way for manned missions to Mars. Nasa today reveal stunning new pictures of its SLS (Space Launch System), which will eventually be capable of lifting 130 tonnes into orbit. The rocket will be used to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, and to help us explore the outer reaches of the solar system. It is even hoped the craft could play a role in manned missions to Mars, being able to launch 'stepping stone' bases into orbit.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Is it sustainable?
Can it be used to nuke Mecca?
If they don’t sink the continental shelf doing it!
Has NASA’s muslim outreach office announced a launch date for the Mars mission as yet? Didn’t think so.
The mighty Saturn V rocket that took the United States to the Moon had a lift capacity of 260,000 lb (120,000 kg) to low-Earth orbit. That’s 130 tons, or 116 “tonnes.”
US Won’t Lead New Manned Moon Landings, NASA Chief Says
http://www.space.com/20557-nasa-moon-missions-bolden.html
NASA chief Charles Bolden says the space agency won’t be sending astronauts to land on the moon any time soon, according to press reports.
The U.S. space agency won’t lead the way back to the moon in the foreseeable future in order to maintain its focus on manned missions to an asteroid, and eventually Mars, Bolden said during a joint meeting of the Space Studies Board and the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board last Thursday (April 4), according to a SpacePolitics.com report by Jeff Foust.
“NASA will not take the lead on a human lunar mission,” Foust quoted Bolden as saying. “NASA is not going to the moon with a human as a primary project probably in my lifetime. And the reason is, we can only do so many things.”
Instead, he said the focus would remain on human missions to asteroids and to Mars. “We intend to do that, and we think it can be done,” Bolden said.
Question...what are those three towers that surround the launch pad, and are the same height? I don't recall seeing anything like that for Saturn or the shuttle.
So in other words NASA is prepared to spend tens of billions of dollars to deliver a rocket probably 3 years late and more billions over budget that can do what the Saturn V could do?
We need to keep an eye on the moon.
It is close enough, China may develop it as a weapons base.
Just saying. Not likely, but we should not turn away from the largest, closest space neighbor we have.
Lightning towers. They are near every launch pad to deflect lightning strikes away from the vehicle.
Their was a story in one of the Florida papers this morning, the gist of it was the SLS (and NASA as a whole) faired really well under the buget passed by the House yesterday, NASA had request 1.7 Billion for construction of the SLS system in 2014, the Budget gave them 2.2 Billion....
May or may not have helped out with Apollo 12.
My niece is working on this program now.
I wonder about its carbon footprint?
The Saturn V couldn’t take a person to Mars.
As Archimedes once said, give me a rocket big enough and a website to watch the artist’s conception videos..... or something like that.
So that’s why Capricorn One failed.....
lol
CC
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