Re: Griffin Wants Inline SDLV and 5 Segment SRB/CEV


"Brian Thorn" <bthorn64@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dc3gc19kbhfuskivjmtild5k98447o9c6a@xxxxxxxxxx
> That's true only if you assume there is a date that it all must be
> done by, but there isn't a firm date for lunar landing, so the SDLV by
> no means needs to be designed, built, and tested concurrently with CEV
> and Stick. That greatly reduces the amount of funds NASA needs
> immediately.

Under this plan, NASA is going to have to immediately begin development of a
new booster AND a new spacecraft. The fact that the booster is based on the
STS SRB does not diminish the size or cost of what has to be done. NASA will
have to develop a brand new large cryo upper stage, develop the SRB into a
first stage, and develop an avionics suite to make it all work. Oh, by the
way, it also has to meet NASA's human-rating requirements. Both der schtick
and the CEV will have to be completed in roughly the same time span.

At some time during that time frame NASA is going to have to start
developing its SDLV. And contrary to what Mikey thinks, this is not a matter
of going to the STS parts bins and cobbling up a heavy lifter. Every time I
hear him say, "I already have a heavy lifter", going on to talk about using
this piece and that piece to build a new launcher, I grit my teeth because
nothing is further from the truth. His SDLV is a radical departure from STS
and will take very big bucks to develop and, most importantly, operate.


.

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