I have been waiting 50 years for this to happen. I recall clearly as a 10-year-old living in Huntsville that Apollo missions 18 and 19 had been canceled and the dismay I felt that we would not continue human exploration of space.Now, I feel that we are embarking on the next phase of human evolution with the SLS/Orion/Artemis program. This is a development of humanity, not so much based on physical change but one of what our minds, working in concert, can achieve to improve our species and our world. We can never withdraw from this advancement, but go ever outward. Today, I have hope and faith that we can do this.
Quote from: markrjonez on 03/17/2022 10:21 pmI have been waiting 50 years for this to happen. I recall clearly as a 10-year-old living in Huntsville that Apollo missions 18 and 19 had been canceled and the dismay I felt that we would not continue human exploration of space.Now, I feel that we are embarking on the next phase of human evolution with the SLS/Orion/Artemis program. This is a development of humanity, not so much based on physical change but one of what our minds, working in concert, can achieve to improve our species and our world. We can never withdraw from this advancement, but go ever outward. Today, I have hope and faith that we can do this.I feel bad for you. SLS is not going to do that.
Quote from: Jim on 03/18/2022 11:33 amQuote from: markrjonez on 03/17/2022 10:21 pmI have been waiting 50 years for this to happen. I recall clearly as a 10-year-old living in Huntsville that Apollo missions 18 and 19 had been canceled and the dismay I felt that we would not continue human exploration of space.Now, I feel that we are embarking on the next phase of human evolution with the SLS/Orion/Artemis program. This is a development of humanity, not so much based on physical change but one of what our minds, working in concert, can achieve to improve our species and our world. We can never withdraw from this advancement, but go ever outward. Today, I have hope and faith that we can do this.I feel bad for you. SLS is not going to do that.Geez what a killjoy.....can we just shut up on the cynicism for a few moments and actually just enjoy the moment that was long time coming?? Were going to the moon again for crying out loud!
Jim is telling it like it is. Yes, we don't always agree, but if you want to label it as cynicism and being a killjoy - well, that is your own interpretation. Some of us remember Apollo from the first time round and see history repeating itself. You guys are seeing a return to the moon and thinking "Yipeee!" which is entirely valid. That's how I feel as well. The problem is, that some of us see the other parts of the Apollo story recurring - the parts that led to missions being cancelled and a long, dry drought for lunar exploration for decades afterwards. That is the bit that is very much NOT "Yippeee!". I am rooting for you being right and Jim being a cranky old killjoy (no offence intended Jim!!). Unfortunately, history does have this way of repeating itself.
Except SLS is being run significantly cheaper than Apollo on a sustainable NASA budget...
Appearing before a House Science Committee hearing on NASA's Artemis program, Martin revealed the operational costs of the big rocket and spacecraft for the first time. Moreover, he took aim at NASA and particularly its large aerospace contractors for their "very poor" performance in developing these vehicles.Martin said that the operational costs alone for a single Artemis launch—for just the rocket, Orion spacecraft, and ground systems—will total $4.1 billion. This is, he said, "a price tag that strikes us as unsustainable." With this comment, Martin essentially threw down his gauntlet and said NASA cannot have a meaningful exploration program based around SLS and Orion at this cost.
...and unlike Apollo we have international and commercial partners.
Apollo's budget could never have been maintained, but SLS budget is the same as STS which we ran for 30 years.
Love the view of inside the crew access arm https://twitter.com/NASA_Orion/status/1506729076924596224
The Artemis program started with a goal that was created to benefit President Trump specifically - landing Americans on the Moon before the end of a potential 2nd Trump term in office. And Presidents can create whatever reasons they want for agency and department goals, but unlike the Apollo program, Trump never secured enough funding to support his 2024 goal (probably because he didn't think it was very exciting).
Is there an explanation for the uncertainty (shown in the attached timeline snipped from a NASA image) of the duration of the return? Surely it isn't uncertainty in the capability of the Orion propulsion system, since that engine is well characterized. Is it still uncertainty in the navigation, i.e. how close to the lunar surface Orion gets during the return lunar flyby?