NASA's Space Launch System – the agency's first new deep-space rocket in 40 years - is nearing a critical milestone on its way to a first launch in 2018. The rocket's critical design review team has completed an 11-week-long review at Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center of the system's design and development.
Thirteen teams, including representatives from other NASA field centers, reviewed more than 1,000 files as part the critical design review. Still to come is a pass of that review by an independent board and briefings for Marshall leaders and NASA leaders in Washington. If final CDR approval comes by the end of September, as expected, NASA will move forward on full-scale building of the rocket. It is already building parts.
'Exciting time for NASA, nation'
"Critical design review represents a major commitment by the agency to human exploration," SLS program manager Todd May said in a statement, "and through these reviews, we ensure the SLS design is on track to being a safe, sustainable and evolvable launch vehicle that will meet the agency's goals and missions.
"It's an exciting time for NASA and our nation," May continued, "as we prepare to go to places in deep space that we've never been before."
The design being reviewed is for the first of three versions of SLS known as SLS Block 1. It will be 322 feet tall, weigh 5.5 million pounds and have 8.4 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. It will be able to carry 70 metric tons – 154, 000 pounds – of cargo.
The system's first mission is to launch an uncrewed Orion spacecraft in what will be the first test of the rocket-spacecraft system before a crew climbs aboard. That first launch is targeted for 2018.
Independent review comes next
The review team has turned its work over to the independent Standing Review Board. That board can confirm or reject the team's findings.
"Much of the benefit of this review is what we do to prepare for it because that's where we really bring things out," Jim Reuter, head of the Standing Review Board, said today. "And you can tell it in the spirit of the people here. They are excited about what they're doing. They can see that this is the review that's going to make it real."
The Orion spacecraft program and the Ground Systems Development Office at Kennedy Space Center in Florida face similar reviews this year. After they're done, NASA will set a date for the first launch called Exploration Mission-1 or EM-1.
"We've nailed our review schedules," said Garry Lyles, chief engineer for the SLS Program Office at the Marshall Center. "The team is performing at a really high level. And I'm unbelievably positive in the structural robustness of this vehicle; it has tremendous performance. We've picked the right vehicle for the journey to Mars."
