Posted on 03/12/2022 7:54:53 PM PST by BenLurkin
Yesterday, engineers and technicians at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida drove Crawler Transporter-2, which will carry NASA’s Moon rocket to the launch pad, to the doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Soon, the 6.6-million-pound crawler will go inside the VAB and slide under the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft placed on the Mobile Launcher. Technicians will finish up preparations to transport the rocket traveling at a top speed of 1 mph to Launch Complex 39B for a wet dress rehearsal test ahead of the Artemis I launch.
This week, the Kennedy team also completed painting the NASA worm logo on the Space Launch System solid rocket boosters. While painters added parts of the iconic logo before the segments were stacked, they had to wait until the boosters were fully assembled to finish the job.
In addition, the team has continued to retract the 20 platforms that surround the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft ahead of rollout on March 17 for the wet dress rehearsal test. The wet dress rehearsal will be the final major test for the Artemis I mission and will ensure the rocket, spacecraft, ground equipment and launch team are “go” for launch.
(Excerpt) Read more at nasa-gigantic-crawler-on-the-move-as-rollout-of-mega-moon-rocket-inches-closer ...
Let me encapsulate this whole, sad scenario. “Leviathan against entrepreneurial capitalism .” SpaceX vs. bureaucracy. Do you have the intellect to see the difference?
what a fuster cuck the SLS is.
I wonder how far it will get off the pad (assuming it gets that far)
Linkee no workee.
Corrected link. Mods, can you fix the link?
Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon...Inquiring minds want to know why are there no trannies or homos going on Artemis missions. This is so prejudiced!
The SLS main engines are reused space shuttle engines, which have been in operation since 1981. That’s either amazing or pathetic that they haven’t developed anything since.
“what a fuster cuck the SLS is.”
Why?
It will be the most powerful rocket in the world. Ever.
“That’s either amazing or pathetic that they haven’t developed anything since.”
Heavy lift rockets have been using Von Braun’s design for over 60 years, with very little change. It’s only a matter of how many nozzles and how big they will be.
A genius design. Universally applied.
It's good to know that NASA is fully woke now. Thank G*d there is SpaceX.
SpaceX uses Merlin engines, develop here in the USA this century.
SpaceX uses Merlins in their Falcon series. They’ll use Raptors in their Starship booster series.
Yes, I know, since Starship has yet to be flown into space I did not include it.
If by "powerful" you mean THRUST, SpaceX Starship booster should OUT PERFORM the SLS by many millions of lbs of thrust!
NASA vs. SpaceX? SpaceX gets ALL of the awards as far as I'm concerned: Tallest rocket, most powerful rocket, most versatile rocket with Starship's proposed many configurations, etc., etc. AND THE MOST OBVIOUS ADVANTAGE REGARDING THE LEAST COSTLIEST GOES TO SPACEX AS WELL!
Now, let's see which one actually gets off the pad! Is the SLS designed to be captured and REUSED as the Starship AND its booster is? NOPE.
And run on kerosene, not as powerful or efficient as Hydrogen but cheaper and easier to handle. Most space agencies prefer it.
NASA was ordered to use Space Shuttle tech by your friendly neighborhood Congresscritters. That’s part of the reason SLS is so expensive and so late: lawyers and other politicians telling engineers how to do their jobs.
This is why the feds have been stalling approvals for test launches for Starship for MONTHS. So SpaceX doesn’t show up NASA.
Latest is environmental impact statement
Space Shuttle tech uses lots of suppliers in lots of congressional districts.
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