NASA recently announced the development of the Space Launch System -- an advancedheavy-lift launch vehicle that will provide an entirely new national capability for humanexploration beyond Earth's orbit. The Space Launch System will give the nation a safe,affordable and sustainable means of reaching beyond our current limits and opening up newdiscoveries from the unique vantage point of space.The Space Launch System, or SLS, will be designed to carry NASAs Orion Multi-PurposeCrew Vehicle, as well as important cargo, equipment and science experiments to Earth'sorbit and destinations beyond. Additionally, the SLS will serve as a back up forcommercial and international partner transportation services to the International SpaceStation.The SLS will incorporate technological investments from the Space Shuttle Program and theConstellation Program in order to take advantage of proven hardware and cutting-edgetooling and manufacturing technology that will significantly reduce development andoperations costs. It will consist of Core and Upper Stages with common avionics. It willuse a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propulsion system, which will include the RS-25Dengine from the Space Shuttle Program for the Core Stage and the J-2X engine for theUpper Stage. SLS also will use dual solid rocket boosters for the initial developmentflights, while follow-on boosters will be obtained through competition based onperformance and interface requirements. The SLS will have an initial lift capacity of 70metric tons, or more than 154,000 pounds. The lift capacity will be evolvable to 130metric tons, or more than 286,000 pounds. The first developmental flight is targeted forthe end of 2017. The specific architecture was selected after careful analysis of the combination oftechnologies that would most effectively meet the SLS capability requirements. Thearchitecture also utilizes an evolvable development approach, which allows NASA toaddress high-cost development activities early on in the program and take advantage ofhigher buying power before inflation erodes the available funding of a fixed budget. Thisarchitecture also enables NASA to leverage existing capabilities and lower developmentcosts by using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for both the Core and Upper Stages.Additionally, this architecture provides a modular launch vehicle that can be configuredfor specific mission needs using a variation of common elements. NASA may not need tolift 130 metric tons for each mission and the flexibility of this modular architectureallows the agency to use different configurations by using Core Stage engines, UpperStage, and booster combinations to achieve the most efficient launch vehicle for thedesired mission.The SLS vehicle procurements will be structured to meet the Agencys requirement for anaffordable and evolvable vehicle within a schedule that supports various missionrequirements. Procurements will include utilization of existing assets to expeditedevelopment, as well as further development of technologies and future competitions foradvanced systems and key technology areas specific to SLS evolved vehicle needs. Detailed synopses will be issued in the near future for the individual procurements asrequired by regulation.Initial planning is for the following:Boosters utilization of the five segment Ares First Stage Boosters under the existingcontract for the initial flights, the first of which is targeted for the end of 2017.Advanced Boosters to be utilized for missions beyond the initial flights -The Agency will not specify solutions (i.e. liquid or solid propulsion may beproposed), but will instead solicit solutions to meet performance and interfacerequirements. -A risk reduction solicitation will be issued later this calendar year to improvethe competitiveness of competing propulsion technologies and business cases before workbegins on the actual Design, Development, Test and Evaluation (DDT&E) of the finalbooster configuration. -DDT&E will be solicited in the 2013-2014 timeframe after results are received fromthe risk reduction effort.Stages utilization of the existing Ares Upper Stage contract for the integrated SLSCore Stage and Upper Stage for the initial SLS capability through 2021.Avionics - utilization of the existing Ares Instrument Unit Avionics contract for theinitial SLS capability through 2021.Engines for the Core and Upper Stages -Core Stage Engine - utilization of the existing inventory of RS-25Ds for theinitial SLS capability. -Upper Stage Engine utilization of the existing Ares J-2X development contract.Spacecraft and Payload Adaptors, and Payload Fairing initial in-house design effortsfollowed by competitive acquisitions beginning in the 2013 timeframe.Advanced development - a combination of in-house tasks and competitive opportunities forindustry and academia beginning in 2012.Systems Engineering and Integration NASA led at least through SLS critical designreview (CDR) in 2014. More details will be forthcoming in the near future to include presentations at the SLSIndustry Day to be conducted on September 29, 2011, at the Davidson Center, inHuntsville, AL. Registration information can be found athttp://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/synopsis.cgi?acqid=148572 . Questions and commentsmay be submitted to Earl Pendley, telephone number 256-544-2949, or via email
[email protected].