[LibWhacker]

the SLS will have the capacity to carry more than 27 tons (24,000 kilograms) to the moon

Correct me if I'm wrong (as if Freepers need to be told that, lol), but that's just its liftoff weight. As far as I'm concerned it's not "carried to the moon" unless it lands there.

[dsrtsage]

With demonrats “winning” the everything, isn’t money now freed up from space exploration to fund Californias train?

[Paul R.]

SLS (even Block 1) is MUCH more massive than 27 tons. (My goodness, have you ever stood below the Saturn 5 on display at Cape C?) Just one booster is ~ 1.6 million pounds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Launch_System

I do not see a total liftoff mass for any one “Block”, but one can probably add up the component masses given.

However, if one sends a 27 ton lander to Earth’s Moon, part of that mass will be fuel burned on descent. I looked briefly but did not find a figure, so I’ll guess 1/2.

[odawg]

They weigh over one and a half million pounds at lift off.