Animation of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) lifting off the launch pad

The Space Launch System, or SLS, will be designed to carry the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, as well as important cargo, equipment and science experiments to Earth's orbit and destinations beyond. Additionally, the SLS will serve as a back up for commercial and international partner transportation services to the International Space Station.

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 (mT) and will be evolvable to 130 mT. The first developmental flight, or mission, is targeted for the end of 2017.

The Space Launch System will be NASA's first exploration-class vehicle since the Saturn V took American astronauts to the moon over 40 years ago. With its superior lift capability, the SLS will expand our reach in the solar system and allow us to explore cis-lunar space, near-Earth asteroids, Mars and its moons and beyond. We will learn more about how the solar system formed, where Earth' water and organics originated and how life might be sustained in places far from our Earth's atmosphere and expand the boundaries of human exploration. These discoveries will change the way we understand ourselves, our planet, and its place in the universe.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• ASA
• Space
• Launch
• System
• SLS
• Orion
• exploration
• rocket
• vehicle
• KSC
• Kennedy
• asteroid
• mars
• shuttle
• constellation
• heavy
• lift

[SojournerLi]

NASA could solve some of its funding issues if they slapped a giant Viagra logo on the side.

[spacegeek5]

It's great NASA is making a new rocket but they cost way to much. If we want to be successful in the future we need to get private enterprises in on space exploration like spacex.

[Winner8501]

Another CGI rocket, great. I won't hold my breath, the chance of this ever going to fly is very, very low. Expect the whole boondoggle to be cancelled by the next administration.

[WEMAN296]

When humans set foot on the first planet which is near it will be 2X bigger that the moon landing that will be 100% true when that happens i'm sure everyone's attitude will be like it was in the 60's for the next decade or 2 then i'll bet it'll fall down again then nasa will make slow progress.

[jetfreak4]

I wish our government would go back to its attitude in the 1960s. As long as we continue to look at costs as an issue, we hold ourselves back even longer from make any further progress with manned spaceflights. We got things done in the '60s because some things were more important than money.

[jetfreak4]

@heinkel174 I've got mixed feelings about. What many have said is true that SLS is likely not sustainable, but the way it's being talked about it seems like NASA is going to try to build it.

[MrMuhammadSumair]

Read the article on

wired.ylli.me/2012/01/nasa-ann­ounces-design-for-new-deep.htm­l

[matthewakian2]

@njdevil281 give it 2-3 years. 

[heinkel174]

I bet this thing will never be built unless they abandon the JWST and ISS