No launch today

[malada]

I know, I know... it's called rocket science for a reason. This stuff is complicated and hard.

But the real problem with the SLS is the rocket wasn't designed to generate thrust - it was designed to generate pork.

At this point they have enough hardware to generate... what, three launches? Then what? If you want to be serious about returning to space in a big way you need to either mass produce disposable engines or semi mass produce reusable rockets.

Damn, bring on the F1-B - the updated version of the classic F1-A engine that launched Apollo to the moon. Hire Elon to make them recoverable and reusable. I'm a child of the 60s and damn it I want my space station and my moon base.

-m

Will settle for a moon telescope base because... damn, the moon is dangerous.

Comments

[malada]

If the engines get dumped into the ocean to sink to the bottom they aren't reusable. The throw-away culture was okay if the next engine out of the shop was *better* than the last but I think we've got the design basically worked out.

Millions of dollars of hardware destined for a watery grave. It just irritates me.

[jayblanc]

There's three used S-IVB J-2 engine from the Apollo missions that are still intact and theoretically reusable. You could go get them. It's the recovery that is the tricky part of reusable rocket engines.

[dewline]

As it should irritate all of us.