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The Harsh Reality Of The Senate Launch System

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Bob Zimmmerman has a piece at The National Interest:

So, what should President Trump do? Does he continue to fund Ares/SLS/Orion, which is taking almost TWO DECADES and more than forty billion dollars to design, build, and fly a SINGLE manned capsule, or does he instead shut it down and have NASA buy the products it needs to explore the solar system from multiple competing private companies?

I know what I would do.

So do I.

4 thoughts on “The Harsh Reality Of The Senate Launch System”

  2. I will give NASA credit—they did find a way to use SLS without any new money. The recent NAC meeting had details on a lunar gateway supposedly paid for by ESA and Japan, with NASA providing launch services. The timeline (4 segments launched by 2026) seems a bit unrealistic, but this gives Congress something to bite at as a reason to keep SLS alive.

    1. but this gives Congress something to bite at as a reason to keep SLS alive.

      I think the term you’re looking for is “flimsy pretext”. There has been no end of enthusiasm in Congress for this thing from its supporters. But they need political cover which is provided by a bunch of experts writing reports on all the wonderful things that could be done with the rocket – and unlimited funding.

  3. SLS exists because it would be political suicide to kill it. It would take a very unconventional president to kill it (and survive politically.) I wonder where we can find someone unconventional?

    It’s time to die will come, but expecting it to happen during a hysterical siege of other fake news is asking at bit.

    SLS will die, but it will be ridden to death for all its political worth.

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