Boeing has been a strong advocate for building a heavy lift vehicle. I applaud their dedication towards moving HV development along-- despite the reluctance of the White House to seriously get going with its agreed commitment to SLS program.Marcel F. Williams
Quote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/27/2011 06:04 pmThanks Chris for showing that NASA is actually spending SLS funds on SLS tasks.Just a point on this. There are no real SLS funds allocated. The delaying tactic from Bolden and company means they are trying to force the SLS funds into helping their commercial friends, who now apparently want more (so much for their projections). Boeing and others are fighting back and spending their own time and money to push this forward. This is clever as because of the delays by Bolden and company, money was wasted on the cancelled Constellation program. They have converted that contracted money into SLS work. A genius move.And yes, Boeing are a commercial company, so this is very telling about the confidence in SLS. Look at their statements in Chris's very good article.
Thanks Chris for showing that NASA is actually spending SLS funds on SLS tasks.
Quote from: Harold KSC on 08/27/2011 06:09 pmQuote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/27/2011 06:04 pmThanks Chris for showing that NASA is actually spending SLS funds on SLS tasks.Just a point on this. There are no real SLS funds allocated. The delaying tactic from Bolden and company means they are trying to force the SLS funds into helping their commercial friends, who now apparently want more (so much for their projections). Boeing and others are fighting back and spending their own time and money to push this forward. This is clever as because of the delays by Bolden and company, money was wasted on the cancelled Constellation program. They have converted that contracted money into SLS work. A genius move.And yes, Boeing are a commercial company, so this is very telling about the confidence in SLS. Look at their statements in Chris's very good article.Well said, and very true. However, for everyone else, like all things Boeing and others out there won't do that forever for obvious reasons.
Quote from: hydra9 on 08/27/2011 04:17 pmBoeing has been a strong advocate for building a heavy lift vehicle. I applaud their dedication towards moving HV development along-- despite the reluctance of the White House to seriously get going with its agreed commitment to SLS program.Marcel F. WilliamsThey are not advocates, just looking for a buck
Thanks Chris for showing that NASA is actually spending SLS funds on SLS tasks.I noticed one thing that may have escaped most. That the core is not really going to be an modified ET but a modern tech tank and structure although the diameter is common to that of the ET so that the handling tooling is the same as what was used on the ET. The welding systems are being replaced to be able to use modern tank welding practices. All of this points to a less expensive and less manpower intensive manufacturing of the core than what occurred on the ET. Also since the new processes are different any retained or rehired personnel would have to be trained on the new processes.
Thanks for the nice words about the article Quote from: Jim on 08/27/2011 06:25 pmQuote from: hydra9 on 08/27/2011 04:17 pmBoeing has been a strong advocate for building a heavy lift vehicle. I applaud their dedication towards moving HV development along-- despite the reluctance of the White House to seriously get going with its agreed commitment to SLS program.Marcel F. WilliamsThey are not advocates, just looking for a buckAll commercial companies - of which Boeing are one - are looking to create "bucks". However, I can say for a fact that the Boeing guys I know would completely disagree - and would feel insulted - by your representation with respect to this effort that they are "NOT" advocates and are "JUST" looking to make a buck.I can also back that up with the facts of the article, which showed rather than banking the contacts and not doing any work with it on a cancelled program, they put it to good use, specifically for their efforts on SLS.
Quote from: OV-106 on 08/27/2011 06:27 pmQuote from: Harold KSC on 08/27/2011 06:09 pmQuote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/27/2011 06:04 pmThanks Chris for showing that NASA is actually spending SLS funds on SLS tasks.Just a point on this. There are no real SLS funds allocated. The delaying tactic from Bolden and company means they are trying to force the SLS funds into helping their commercial friends, who now apparently want more (so much for their projections). Boeing and others are fighting back and spending their own time and money to push this forward. This is clever as because of the delays by Bolden and company, money was wasted on the cancelled Constellation program. They have converted that contracted money into SLS work. A genius move.And yes, Boeing are a commercial company, so this is very telling about the confidence in SLS. Look at their statements in Chris's very good article.Well said, and very true. However, for everyone else, like all things Boeing and others out there won't do that forever for obvious reasons. This contract was a technology proofing contract for manufactureing technology for making cryo tanks using modern practices which would really be applicable to anything using cryo propellants. The goals of such a contract was to gather data on the costs of the process, development of manufacturing procedures and to determine the quality of the resulting product.
Quote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/27/2011 06:49 pmQuote from: OV-106 on 08/27/2011 06:27 pmQuote from: Harold KSC on 08/27/2011 06:09 pmQuote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/27/2011 06:04 pmThanks Chris for showing that NASA is actually spending SLS funds on SLS tasks.Just a point on this. There are no real SLS funds allocated. The delaying tactic from Bolden and company means they are trying to force the SLS funds into helping their commercial friends, who now apparently want more (so much for their projections). Boeing and others are fighting back and spending their own time and money to push this forward. This is clever as because of the delays by Bolden and company, money was wasted on the cancelled Constellation program. They have converted that contracted money into SLS work. A genius move.And yes, Boeing are a commercial company, so this is very telling about the confidence in SLS. Look at their statements in Chris's very good article.Well said, and very true. However, for everyone else, like all things Boeing and others out there won't do that forever for obvious reasons. This contract was a technology proofing contract for manufactureing technology for making cryo tanks using modern practices which would really be applicable to anything using cryo propellants. The goals of such a contract was to gather data on the costs of the process, development of manufacturing procedures and to determine the quality of the resulting product. So we mightt see a paper on this manufacturing tech? I know looking at the photos that they seem to be using the new equipment installed a couple of years ago. Maybe for the first time? Any more details would make for interesting reading.
Even though a stand alone LOX/LH2 core vehicle makes sense as a cheaper and more expedient evolutionary first step towards an HLV,
Quote from: edkyle99 on 08/27/2011 04:08 amQuote from: Tim S on 08/27/2011 03:47 amNo Ed Kyle. There's the SLS Pathfinder LOX Tank. As much as you'd love Ares I to come back, this has been explained to you this is NOT Ares, this is for SLS, and was subscale for a reason.NASA can call it whatever it wants to call it, but its real origin is quite clear. It is 5.5 meters diameter, its plans and tooling having previously been devised for Ares I. If it was a real SLS pathfinder tank, it would be 8.4 meters or whatever diameter. Unless SLS is being shrunk down to 5.5 meters? - Ed KyleNo, I think they were just saving money by using what was 'lying around', Ed. The next pathfinder tank should be 8.4m, unless the upper stage decision ends up being a clear derivative of the Ares 1 upper stage; perhaps lengthened slightly for more propellant for SLS' EDS duties.
Quote from: Tim S on 08/27/2011 03:47 amNo Ed Kyle. There's the SLS Pathfinder LOX Tank. As much as you'd love Ares I to come back, this has been explained to you this is NOT Ares, this is for SLS, and was subscale for a reason.NASA can call it whatever it wants to call it, but its real origin is quite clear. It is 5.5 meters diameter, its plans and tooling having previously been devised for Ares I. If it was a real SLS pathfinder tank, it would be 8.4 meters or whatever diameter. Unless SLS is being shrunk down to 5.5 meters? - Ed Kyle
No Ed Kyle. There's the SLS Pathfinder LOX Tank. As much as you'd love Ares I to come back, this has been explained to you this is NOT Ares, this is for SLS, and was subscale for a reason.