Added on Tuesday 23 June 2009 12:50:17
by SpaceRefOnOrbit
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This video depicting NASA's Shuttle-derived Sidemount Heavy Launch Vehicle concept was shown at the 17 June 2009 meeting of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee in Washington DC by NASA Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon.
I think this is a GREAT plan. The already existing launch vehicle will save a lot of development time and money. Much of the development has already been done on Orion. This can be done on NASAs current budget. It's the first exciting thing to come from NASA in 30-years.
@superotherguy1 The external fuel tank isn't picked up. The solid rocket boosters are reused, but the tank falls back into the atmosphere and breaks apart.
Not sure there would be a viable launch escape with those solid fuel motors. Manned spaceflight is a thing of the past, all the great acheivements in space have been with unmanned spacecraft.
In a few years the ISS will be relocated to the bottom of the Pacific and that will be the end of it all.
This has been the heavy launch method used by the space shuttle for 30 years, we know it works, we have the launch pad and proper equipment already in place, I think it's a great idea. NASA should figure out a way to make this work.
@TritonDenis I wish Energia would be revivied somehow. It looked like quite the formidable vehicle with some incredible lift capacities into LEO, as well as the ability to send things trans-lunar.
Seeing as NASA is utterly dependent on Russia now for manned launches on Soyuz, I'd say there's nothing wrong with asking them to get an Energia program running again.
this one won't work 1. it violates CAIB placing the spacecraft on the side. 2. it uses faulty hardware if ice gets one it will damage the spacecraft. 3. and it does not look good this concept failed CCDEV 1 and NASA did not adopt it.
This is stupid. At least with the Shuttles you got the main engines back for re-servicing. Here, they stay attached to the fuel tank and burn up with it.
This looks like just as much of a tax-draining boondoggle as the Shuttle program itself was.
USSR has planned in 1988 launch same project: "Energia" + "Polus", but it was frozen. Now Russia it will be realize with (projecting) "Angara" or "Rus-M" rockets.
I am very happy to see the vidoe depicting NASA's Shuttle-derived Sidemount Heavy Launch Vehicle concept was shown at the 17 June 2009 meeting of the Review From you, hopefully the others also are happy for You
Lets see, Shuttle was 1.5 Billion per launch and could lift 53,600 lbs to LEO. While Falcon Heavy costs 100 million fixed per launch and lifts (more than double) 120,000 lbs to LEO. You do the math.
What a fantastic idea, re-using reusable technology. I assume this saves alot of money? Sadly, the motors attached to the external tank also burn up? Still seems more efficient than the old rocket towers that are completely used up! Great animation and sound effects.
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