Comments on: NASA’s SLS rocket successfully launches Orion toward the Moon

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 23:14:02 +0000

Ray Van Dune and Michael,
The rating comes as a result of the design and methods used. The certification comes after the evaluation of the first flight. At least, this is how they did it with the Commercial Crew contracts. NASA’s last manned rocket, the Space Transportation System, launched its first flight with a crew, which is an unusual method.
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wayne,
You asked: “–>$60 billion dollars and we get a lousy tracking shot and 1968 level animation?”

The tracking shots may have been blah, but the cameras at the ends of the solar arrays gave us some good views. NASA didn’t exactly invent this viewpoint, as the first Falcon Heavy dummy payload presented similar side-angle views. One of the more interesting things that the cameras captured was the booster stage flying near the capsule:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GmR5mfD2wE#t=381 (10 seconds, look fast, it is at the top and just to the right of the middle of the screen)

I think some better questions we should be asking are: what are the lessons we have learned from SLS? What lessons are we learning from Artemis? How can we do better in the future?

It is clear that a rocket that can only launch annually (and even then, not until 2030 or so) is not going to usher in the future of space exploration or give us a sustainable lunar station.

By: Star Bird

Star Bird — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 23:43:37 +0000

Can we send Biden and his entire cabinet to the Moon?

By: Concerned

Concerned — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 23:03:36 +0000

I applaud all the engineers that worked on this thing through the decades and made it work. It’s a pity their talents couldn’t have been put to better use by the poohbars and politicos in charge who might have had a clearer vision of how we should be using our limited resources in the quest to really exploit the Final Frontier. We can’t get the government out of this business fast enough.

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:49:59 +0000

Re “Man-rated”: my (limited) understanding is that man-rating does not rely so much on successful accomplishment of goals, but on design safety margins, processes, and materials quality – in other words it is more intentional than demonstrable. I cannot comment on the wisdom of this, but obviously both safe development and safe demonstrated performance are desirable. Demonstrated safe performance seems to be a factor in qualification for national security DOD missions.

By: wayne

wayne — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:14:50 +0000

Question:
Where’s the 2nd one? I assume it’s being actively readied to carry our brave & Diverse astronauts as they return to the Moon…

Can somebody point me to some more-complete video of this launch?
–>$60 billion dollars and we get a lousy tracking shot and 1968 level animation?

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:58:11 +0000

Jeff Wright – I really do not mean to be catty but I do not understand. You say “And now we are set to have a man-rated craft to the Moon”. One SLS test flight and it’s man-rated? And the flight is not even over and evaluated. At the same time we need to have “hundreds” of Starship flights before anyone dares set foot onboard. How can this be?

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:22:39 +0000

Apparently still missing from NASA checklists: “Step 1. Ensure all propellant valves and joints are properly sealed and I tightened.”

By: Johnhare

Johnhare — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:18:57 +0000

Sorry Steve, I was scoring one game instead of the tournament. Mea culpa

By: Shallow Minded Reader

Shallow Minded Reader — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:59:06 +0000

Pity it didn’t blow up, would have put us taxpayers out of our misery, but hey there is still Billions to Ukraine!

By: sippin_bourbon

sippin_bourbon — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:53:14 +0000

An early Festivus Miracle?

I slept through it. Was too tired to stay up.
Will be interesting to watch the rest of the mission unfold, even though CAPSTONE and Rocketlab beat them to the moon. (tongue in cheek)

By: Gealon

Gealon — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:52:54 +0000

I slept through it. Had more important things to do than watch my tax dollars literally burning, all be it, while moving in a relatively upwards direction.

I agree with you Steve, but I add the caveat, since SLS’s mission isn’t concluded, things can still go wrong. So; Falcon Heavy-4, SLS-0.5, Starship-TBD.

By: Steve Golson

Steve Golson — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:03:44 +0000

I believe you have your scores slightly wrong. Here, I’ll fix it for you:

Falcon Heavy 4, SLS 1

By: Darwin Teague

Darwin Teague — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 13:29:27 +0000

I missed it!

Now that SLS has launched first, maybe SpaceX will be allowed to launch.

By: James Stephens

James Stephens — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 12:47:32 +0000

Did hell just freeze over? I’m pleased it went well but supersized.

By: mkent

mkent — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 12:01:52 +0000

Sorry it didn’t blow up.

By: MDN

MDN — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 11:18:49 +0000

I am glad all went well and it was a fine demonstration of 1970s technology at its best. But I share everyone’s lament over the exorbitant cost and how little practical value we will ever see from it other than subsidizing the legacy big space players all these years.

Just imagine what other science NASA could have delivered with just half that money, the equivalent of 3 more JWSTs. A full constellation of LISA gravitational wave satellites. A Keck in space to replace Hubble, including optical interferometry. Deployable high bandwidth laser comms technology for deep space missions. One or two Falcon Heavy lofted first class rover missions to the lunar south pole. Etc., etc., etc..

So I guess it’s pretty much a happy sad day leaning more toward the latter.

By: Richard M

Richard M — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:29:40 +0000

I haven’t changed my mind one bit about SLS. But I have to admit that I shook a little, watching the SRB’s come to life. I will not assign a name to the emotion; I just know it was one I did not expect to have.

By: john hare

john hare — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:24:36 +0000

“””SLS 1. Starship 0″””

First point on the board of a game going to 21. Taking bets??

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:53:06 +0000

This was Marshall' time to shine-and with NASA having a 71 bil' boost on the economy-SLS was boon. And now we are set to have a man-rated craft to the Moon before China-no thanks to libertarian noise makers. SLS 1. Starship 0

By: Lee S

Lee S — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:05:41 +0000

Well…. A mixed emotions event…. Half of me watched in awe as everything went A-OK , and the most powerful rocket in the world blasted off in a blaze of glory… And I feel very happy for everyone involved in the project. Go NASA!

But then again, this is a massive PR win for the SLS, and will ensure its continued funding for probably decades to come… US taxpayers dollars that could be spent way more effectively elsewhere.

Regardless of my cognitive dissonance, well done everyone involved in finally getting the big, beautiful beast off the ground, and up where it belongs!