Space Launch System - Orion

[MartG]

Boeing artwork for 'return to the moon' - SLS Block 1B with Apollo style LOR landing regime. Currently the Lunar Lander is the only element not being actively developed ( though everything else is proceeding at a snail's pace due to low funding levels )

[Eric Mc]

The lunar lander looks more like the Russian one than the Apollo Grumman designed version.

It would be great if design work on a lander gets going soon.

And of course, Boeing designed and built the Apollo lunar rover so all they have to do is dust off the old plans

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

The lunar lander looks more like the Russian one than the Apollo Grumman designed version.

It would be great if design work on a lander gets going soon.

Yes - though it does look rather less expensive than the last NASA proposed one

[Eric Mc]

MartG said:

Yes - though it does look rather less expensive than the last NASA proposed one

It does look a bit basic - but it should do the job.

I noticed that the numbers "2014" appear at the bottom of the picture. Has Boeing just rummaged through its drawers and unearthed a design they've had for a while?

[MartG]

Probably

I'd guess they were hoping for the more expensive lander to get the go-ahead, but had cheaper options available too - and I can't see Trump's government wanting to pay for anything more than a basic footprints&flags style effort

[Eric Mc]

Would any aspect of the lander be reusable?

The old Grumman LM ascent stage was only certified for five repressurisation cycles. I would guess a more modern lander would have to be a bit more robust than that.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Would any aspect of the lander be reusable?

Not if Boeing made it - it would be as expensive as possible to maximise profits

Perhaps if they gave it to SpaceX to develop...

[MartG]

Pad 39B Sound suppression system wet flow tests this week

( sorry for facebook links - can't find them anywhere else )

https://www.facebook.com/NASAGOforlaunch/videos/84...

https://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy/videos/101551...

[Beati Dogu]

An impressive deluge.

[Eric Mc]

I'd hate to see their water meter reading.

[Flooble]

Where does the water go?

Maybe the launch area didn't used to be a swamp ...

[Eric Mc]

It drains away back into the surrounding lagoons and swamp.

[MartG]

Orion Ascent Abort (AA)-2 Crew Module, as it’s undergoing some construction and testing at NASA Langley.

The module will be shipped to #NASA’s Johnson Space Center for its final assembly phase and more testing. This module is part of an upcoming AA test that will evaluate NASA’s Orion Spacecraft launch abort system in April 2019.

[Beati Dogu]

It's coming together.

Here's the mobile launcher, which is undergoing final modification from its initial 2010 configuration for the canceled Ares I rocket.:



As the name suggests, the SLS rockets will be transported to the pad & launched from this. Just like Saturn V was.

The tower is about 400 feet high and the SLS Block 1 rocket will be 322 ft high.

As tall as it is, they're still going to need to raise it & reconfigure it again to service the 42 ft taller Block 1B SLS.

They'd really like to build a second one, if they can get away with it.

[Kccv23highliftcam]

Any costings availble for this monstrosity?

[Eric Mc]

Kccv23highliftcam said:

Any costings availble for this monstrosity?

What, the tower or the programme?

[MartG]

Orion undergoing structural testing at Lockheed Martin's Waterton facility in Colorado

[MartG]

Kccv23highliftcam said:

Any costings availble for this monstrosity?

$300million

http://spacenews.com/nasa-weighs-new-mobile-launch...

[Beati Dogu]

Suffering from test fire anxiety ?


NASA is shortly to carry out the first RS-25 Rocket Engine Test of 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4yvQtsOSkk

These are for the SLS of course.

Let's make some rain clouds....

[Kccv23highliftcam]

Two points

1. did anyone else see the dark matter in the nozzle once it was running--quite terrifying.

2. that steam can't be good for your cars paint!