NASA calls it SLS the SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, you've seen it before as ARES V. New paint, new name higher cost. Cancellation bait for the budget. Can we really afford this? Didn't NASA pull the plug on this last year. You have to wonder what were these people thinking.
(from the NASA Press release)
The SLS rocket will incorporate technological investments from the Space
Shuttle program and the Constellation program in order to take
advantage of proven hardware and cutting-edge tooling and manufacturing
technology that will significantly reduce development and operations
costs. It will use a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propulsion
system, which will include the RS-25D/E from the Space Shuttle program
for the core stage and the J-2X engine for the upper stage. SLS will
also use solid rocket boosters for the initial development flights,
while follow-on boosters will be competed based on performance
requirements and affordability considerations. The SLS will have an
initial lift capacity of 70 metric tons. That's more than 154,000
pounds, or 77 tons, roughly the weight of 40 sport utility vehicles. The
lift capacity will be evolvable to 130 metric tons -- more than
286,000 pounds, or 143 tons -- enough to lift 75 SUVs. The first
developmental flight, or mission, is targeted for the end of 2017.
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