NASA delays debut launch of $23 billion moon rocket and capsule

[rooster59]

NASA delays debut launch of $23 billion moon rocket and capsule

By Irene Klotz

 

FILE PHOTO: NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) 70-metric-ton configuration is seen launching to space in this undated artist's rendering released August 2, 2014. REUTERS/NASA/MSFC/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA has delayed the first launch of its heavy-payload rocket until 2019 and decided against an idea floated by the White House to put astronauts aboard the capsule that is set to fly around the moon, the U.S. space agency said on Friday.

 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration had hoped to launch the Space Launch System, or SLS, rocket in November 2018. The rocket will send the deep-space Orion capsule on a high lunar orbit.

 

The launch is part of NASA's long-term program to use the rocket to get astronauts and equipment to Mars.

 

In February, at the behest of President Donald Trump's administration, NASA began to weigh the implications of adding a two-person crew for the trial flight.

 

The conclusion of the study was to wait until a second flight before adding a crew, NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot said.

 

The research "really reaffirmed that the baseline plan we have in place was the best way for us to go,” he told reporters on a conference call.

 

Adding systems to support a crew would have cost NASA $600 million to $900 million more and would likely have delayed the flight to 2020, he said.

 

Even without a crew, the SLS will not be ready to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida until 2019, Lightfoot said, adding that the agency would have a more specific timeframe in about a month.

 

The delay would push back the rocket’s second flight beyond 2021, said NASA Associate Administrator William Gerstenmaier.

 

The delays are largely due to technical issues encountered during the development of SLS and Orion, as well as tornado damage to the rocket’s manufacturing plant in New Orleans.

 

By the end of the next fiscal year on September 30, 2018, NASA will have spent $23 billion on the rocket, capsule, launch site and support systems, according to an audit by NASA’s Office of Inspector General.

 

That excludes $9 billion spent on the mothballed Constellation lunar exploration programme, which included initial development of the Orion and a second heavy-lift rocket.

 

Initially, the SLS rocket, which uses engines left over from the space shuttle programme and shuttle-derived solid rocket boosters, will have the capacity to put about 77 tons (70 metric tons) into an orbit about 100 miles (160 km) above Earth.

 

Later versions are expected to carry nearly twice that load.

 

“We’re really building a system,” Gerstenmaier said. “It is much, much more than one flight.”

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-13

[Hereinthailand]

You may not like trump but he likes NASA more than any other recent president. Nasa got less than 1% budget cut from them, compare that to any other gov agencies budget cuts. 

[metisdead]

Posts containing off topic trolling comments have been removed. 

[rgraham]

Nice to see that we are getting back into space!

[Rhys]

....so continued competition and need prompts more funding of NASA....

[Dumbastheycome]

So many   billions  and  not   even the  promise  of  moon  rocks  to  give  away?

There  are  some  strange  priorities  set  in this   world !

[ilostmypassword]

4 hours ago, Hereinthailand said:

You may not like trump but he likes NASA more than any other recent president. Nasa got less than 1% budget cut from them, compare that to any other gov agencies budget cuts. 

He likes Nasa so much he cut their budget less! I like the job you're doing so much I'm only slightly cutting your pay!

By the way, did you read that the White House asked Nasa if they could make it a manned space flight instead? Great idea, Trump!

[tandor]

3 hours ago, rgraham said:

Nice to see that we are getting back into space!

..sort of takes your mind of the mess down here for a minute.

[Basil B]

Would it not be more practical to build a reusable moon lander and command module that docks at the space station between missions, the vehicles do not have to be aerodynamically stream lined and could easily built from multiple modulus with even bolt on interchangeable fuel tanks, they should have at least 2 if not 3 of each so rescue could be made in the event of a failure, then use conventional supply and re-entry space rockets for the launch from earth to the space station and return.

[williamgeorgeallen]

just leave it up to the chinese, they have better funding than anyone else.

[MuntyC0re]

It seems to be an interesting project. It's been a while since good news from NASA. I am fond of astronomy I think we should invest more money in the science than religion. I also like to hang out on http://solarstory.net and official NASA website. I hope our children will know more about space and able to space travel.

[ilostmypassword]

On 5/13/2017 at 3:26 PM, Hereinthailand said:

You may not like trump but he likes NASA more than any other recent president. Nasa got less than 1% budget cut from them, compare that to any other gov agencies budget cuts. 

But he cut funds for Nasa's Earth Science program just to make that there isn't more evidence to support human caused global warming.