Air Force Signs Off on SRB-CEV

At least space.com says so:
"http://www.space.com/news/050810_dod_launcher.html";

Story says that the Air Force says OK to NASA
developing the SRB Stick for human spaceflight
missions in the 25-30 metric ton class. NASA,
in return, agrees to use EELVs for all payloads
in the 5-20 metric ton class, including ISS
resupply missions. (No word on where the
20-25 tonne payloads will go).

Most strikingly, the letter also says that NASA
is agreeing to consider phasing out Delta 2 in
favor of EELV. This means that long-running
Thor-Delta, probably the world's most reliable
active launch vehicle - the launcher that has
boosted all of NASA's recent Mars missions - is
in danger of being abandoned. The alternative
launchers cost more than Delta 2, so giving up
Delta 2 means fewer, costlier missions - unless
SpaceX succeeds in developing its proposed
Delta 2 class launcher.

- Ed Kyle

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: What else could you do with the Stick?
    ... >>> missions could be substituted. ... >> class deep space exploration spacecraft that NASA could conjure ... > cheaper launcher eventhough the cheaper launcher is not NASA's ... Pre-Viking Voyager Mars was going to fly on Saturn IB/Centaur, ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: What else could you do with the Stick?
    ... >> missions could be substituted. ... > class deep space exploration spacecraft that NASA could conjure ... cheaper launcher eventhough the cheaper launcher is not NASA's ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Air Force Signs Off on SRB-CEV
    ... >boosted all of NASA's recent Mars missions - is ... >launchers cost more than Delta 2, ... >Delta 2 class launcher. ... as the next two planetary missions are on EELV anyway. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Air Force Signs Off on SRB-CEV
    ... >>boosted all of NASA's recent Mars missions - is ... >>launchers cost more than Delta 2, ... >>Delta 2 class launcher. ... as the next two planetary missions are on EELV anyway. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Bush says about the shuttle....and that the White House would not be all that upset if it never
    ... NASA is faced with a dilemma right now: It wants to fly 19 Space ... these missions - at the rate it wanted to fly the missions. ... would reduce the shuttle flight rate to 2 missions per year, ... workforce, stop building the ISS, and live with the consequences. ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
Loading