NASA postponed the first launch of heavy missiles

SLS and Orion is for deep space flight, in particular, to the moon, asteroids and Mars.

NASA decided to postpone the first launch of heavy missiles SLS (Space Launch System) with the lunar-Mars the Orion spacecraft from the end of 2018, at least at the beginning of 2019. It is stated in the report for the government of the United States, compiled by the head of the Agency’s manned flights bill Gerstenmaier.

One of the reasons for the postponement of the launch of the SLS is the delay until August 2017 supply partners the European service module for the Orion spacecraft, which was supposed to be shipped to US in January. For mounting a service module can take up to a year, the Agency hopes to reduce this time.

The final decision on the launch date of the SLS with Orion is planned to be adopted in September, which will be considered in NASA’s budget for the next fiscal year, a draft of which will be submitted in may 2017. Also, the Agency will have to decide to launch Orion manned or unmanned modes.

SLS and Orion is for deep space flight, in particular, to the moon, asteroids and Mars. Heavy media is developing a Boeing, to a low reference orbit, the rocket will output from 70 to 130 tons of payload. Reusable ship Orion, which can accommodate up to six astronauts, is created Lockheed Martin.

The cost of the first launch of SLS and Orion ligament exceeds two billion dollars. The first test launch of Orion was held in December 2014, the ship was launched on the most powerful and most expensive rocket in the world IV Heavy.

In 2017, the company SpaceX, headed by Elon Musk, has planned the first launch of its own super-heavy rocket, the Falcon Heavy. On low reference orbit, the carrier is able to display up to 64 tonnes of payload, the cost of the launch is estimated at $ 90 million.

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