American SLS rushes into space

Specialists of the National Aerospace Agency of the United States continue to develop the launch vehicle SLS - Space Launch System. The new heavy rocket is capable of delivering various spacecraft to space. In this case, the main purpose of the SLS is to deliver vehicles to the so-called Deep space - beyond the limits of the Earth's orbit.

The NASA site contains information about some of the technical features of the new rocket. In addition, there is evidence that a heavy rocket will bring into space manned MPCV spacecraft developed on the basis of Orion, as well as cargo containers. SLS is capable of becoming a rocket that can make some competition to Russian missiles, including in terms of supporting the ISS, although near space is not its strong point.

Technical data from the American rocket following. It has a length of 102 m and can carry a payload of up to 70 tons. This, if expressed in the language of motorists, basic equipment. At the same time, a rocket with a payload capacity of up to 129 tons will be created.
The first stage of the SLS rocket will have four RS-25 engines that were previously used to disperse the US space shuttles. Two more acceleration engines ATK (on solid fuel) are discharged to these engines to help.

The second stage will be driven by new engines J-2X, which had time to pass the necessary tests at the site.
The first launch of the rocket is scheduled for 2017. This launch will be in an unmanned version, but in 2021, NASA is going to organize an already manned mission based on this rocket.

Comments

[Svistoplyaskov]

From 70 to 129 tons - a decent carrying capacity.
For comparison, the Angara modular system currently being developed at the Khrunichev Center in maximum configuration (A7) will be able to put about 35 tons into the same orbit, and Rus-MT-50 (a similar project from TsSKB-Progress) will 53 tons.
Otherwise, there is nothing revolutionary about it. The new rocket is almost entirely based on previous developments (at the same time, NASA can hardly be blamed for excessive caution - the agency allocates money for risky projects and space refueling).

[Sablezub]

I have a question, what was the carrying capacity of Energia?

[Dryomin]

At low Earth - up to 105 tons. At the same time, no more than 60 meters in length of the entire launch vehicle)

[Sablezub]

Then I have a question - why do we need a "hangar" if there was a proven "energy"?

[Dryomin]

Not all cargo should be delivered by a rocket with such a huge thrust - one chocolate bar cannot be transported by a truck, and "Angara" is a family of 5 missiles of various classes for the delivery of cargo from 2 to 40 tons. The whole family is one production technology, one elementary particle is a rocket with a lower payload (2 tons), all the rest, more payload classes are made up of these small blocks. Simple and cheap, and most importantly effective.

[Sablezub]

under "energy" it was quite possible to make the same ruler ... and not reinvent the wheel

[Dryomin]

And then the guys will shout again, they say we are still flying on still Soviet missiles, only modified)

[mr.Man]

The fact that rivals promote a novelty: badly, but rivalry creates progress and all this is for the good of the whole Earth ...
ZY
Saturn V launched 140,9 tons into low orbit and 65,5 tons to the moon ...
I wonder why they refused her?
The entire Saturn lV series performed well nor one accident (according to media reports), it’s even strange why such a rocket was stolen ...

[Dryomin]

Already after 2 or 3 landing on the moon and a live broadcast of the astronauts' actions, people called the television agencies with demands to return to the show their favorite series, instead of which there was now live broadcast. NASA then had to pay for the direct display of a man on the moon ... It’s not interesting for people to become, you see)))

[Andrey_K]

This is one of the questions that made me doubt the reality of flights to the moon.
Such "wonderful" characteristics of the rocket and the fact that they did not continue to operate it are very surprising.
In brief, here are the main points: it turns out (from the point of view of modern knowledge) that it was impossible to automatically increase the size of the engine, since the temperature in the combustion chamber increases so much that no materials can withstand it, materials of that time certainly.
Those. in the USSR they went along the right path using several small ones, and the Americans chose a dead end ... but did the rocket fly anyway ?!
Until now, the mystery behind the seven seals as they achieved the heat resistance of the nozzles.
The Americans themselves say it is a nickel alloy, but nickel is too dark and absorbs a lot of heat radiation, and at a certain temperature it reveals unknown (at that time) flaws, because of which it cannot be used as a material for nozzles with such a high exhaust temperature .

[916-th]

Mr. Man:

The entire Saturn lV series showed well, not a single accident (according to media reports), it’s strange even why such a missile was stolen ...

At Saturn-V, oxygen-kerosene engines (F1 x 5) were installed in the first stage. Now all developers are focused on an oxygen-hydrogen pair as an oxidizing fuel. However, there is no doubt that the SLS uses developments on Saturn-5.

Another thing is regrettable - that we really, finally and irrevocably, have lost our pride - the Soviet rocket "Energia", a carrier of the heavy class, created in the 80s of the last century. In terms of its main parameters, Energia is in no way inferior to the modern American SLS.
Here is her purpose:
- carrier for MTKK "Buran";
- a carrier for providing manned and automatic expeditions to the moon and Mars;
- to launch a new generation of orbital stations;
- to launch superheavy geostationary satellite platforms;
- to launch heavy military cargo.

Many associate "Energia" only with MTKK "Buran", forgetting that this is only one of the five tasks that were on its shoulder and which are only now being put by amers before SLS.

It is noteworthy that the Energia launch vehicle family included a whole line of launch vehicles designed for payloads of various weights:

1) "Energia-M", the smallest rocket of the family, is comparable in weight to the launch vehicle with the Angara still being developed.

2) "Energy-2" (Hurricane) was designed as fully reusable. Unlike the basic modification of Energia, which was partially reusable (like the American Space Shuttle), the design of the Hurricane made it possible to return all elements of the system. The Hurricane's central unit was supposed to enter the atmosphere, plan and land at a conventional airfield.

3) "Vulcan", the heaviest modification: its launch mass was 4747 tons. Using eight side blocks and the central block "Energia-M" as the last stage, the "Vulcan" rocket was supposed to launch up to 500 tons of PN into the reference orbit.

By the way, as of 2011, the Energia launch vehicle is the only Soviet and Russian space-rocket system that could fundamentally use liquid hydrogen as fuel at all stages of launch vehicle removal.

If we take into account that the USA is planning the first launch of SLS in 2017, then Energia and I had a head start of 31 years (!!!) for the exploration of deep space! However, it was stupidly lost, pro @ ralie and pro @ bali these promising developments, focusing on low orbits. The Amers will leave us to continue to serve the ISS, dig in this children's sandbox with the help of modifications of the ancient Royal Seven, while they themselves will rush further into space ...

[Dryomin]

Well ... I’m for you, comrade, but Saturn 5 was already ready by 1967 ... I don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about handicap at the age of 31.
The Vulcan launch vehicle could withdraw up to 200 tons.

[Anatoly Rukavishnikov]

Actually, SATURN 5 is a semi-plywood rocket. Could fly only on ballistics.

[Sablezub]

here I am about the same ... but it’s not too late to return this pride to the ranks

[Vovanchyk]

"The Amers will leave us to continue to serve the ISS, dig into this children's sandbox with the help of modifications of the ancient Royal Seven, while they themselves will rush further into space ..."
Well, yes, they would have wanted so much, and they are planning so. But the ways of the Lord are inscrutable ... (God is not Timoshka and sees a little)

[Editor]

The first launch is planned in 2018. Well, it's not a fact that a 100 meter rocket will successfully take off ...