NASA Unveils Giant New Rocket Design

[n2doc]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The design for NASA's newest behemoth of a rocket harkens back to the giant workhorse liquid rockets that propelled men to the moon. But this time the destinations will be much farther and the rocket even more powerful.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and several members of Congress joined Wednesday in unveiling the Obama administration's much-delayed general plans for its rocket design, called the Space Launch System. The multibillion-dollar program will carry astronauts in a capsule on top and start test launching from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in six years.

"This is a great day for NASA, I think, for NASA and the nation," Bolden said.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., called it "a monster rocket." He said the holdup in presenting the design was so all the details would be in order, before the program was presented and defended by the administration.

more

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/09/14/science/AP-US-SCI-NASA-Rocket.html

[byronius]

1. Cool. I hope all goes well.

Rockets Roar!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Prior similar posts

[sudopod]

7. Kick

LOL, forum police

[bananas]

8. Where? I don't see any in the Science forum.

We are allowed to post the same info in different forums,
because not everyone reads the same forums,
and the context and focus of discussion is different in each forum.

[dtexdem]

3. Great. But how will NASA screw it up?

Maybe with the solid boosters in the initial design.

[drm604]

4. Reminds me of the old Saturn V.

This is the NASA I remember. Hopefully they'll abandon the uncontrollable solid fuel boosters.

[freethought]

5. Except for the two side boosters

It's nearly exactly like the Saturn V that they used in the Apollo missions.

[Posteritatis]

6. Similar payload too, no? (nt)

[freethought]

9. A little larger if I read it right. n/t

[Ter]

10. Still no horrizontal lift-off?

Why, the technology is here, isn't it?

[Posteritatis]

11. Horizontal take off to orbit with that kind of payload wouldn't be feasible. (nt)