Rocket Test Tomorrow!

Story: NASA to Test-Fire Booster for Megarocket Tuesday: Watch Live - Space.com

Background: What is QM-2? - NASA

Mission Page: Space Launch System - NASA



Get your subwoofers ready! NASA is running their QM-2 Rocket Test tomorrow! Watch it on NASA TV.

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NASA Orion Does Reddit!

AMA: NASA Orion - Reddit

NASA has taken to many Social Media platforms to tell people about the Orion Spacecraft Program. Yesterday, they used a Reddit AMA to do it. AMA's are subreddits where people can "Ask Me Anything." Nine Orion experts made themselves available to answer user's questions.

The AMA is complete, and you can read through the many questions and answers that were asked. The event was very popular, and I am sure there will be more!

Mission Page: Orion - NASA

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NASA Selects Boeing & SpaceX for New Capsules

Launch America - Courtesy NASA

Article: NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station - NASA


NASA has named Boeing and SpaceX as providers of capsules to take astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The goal is to end the reliance on Russia to provide our astronauts travel to ISS by 2017.

The Boeing capsule is called the CST-100. The SpaceX capsule is the Crew Dragon. SpaceX is already flying a cargo version of the Dragon to ferry supplies to ISS. The capsule is designed to be easily configured for cargo or passenger travel.

With capsules set for the ISS, NASA will be able to focus on its Orion capsule and Space Launch System (SLS) to take astronauts beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and into deep space.

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NASA's Ready to Build New Rocket

Article: NASA Unveils World's Largest Spacecraft Welding Tool for Space Launch System - NASA


Today, at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, the largest spacecraft welding tool in the world opened. The Vertical Assembly Center, a 170-foot-tall, 78-foot-wide assembly, completes a welding apparatus that will be used to build the core stage of America's next rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS).

SLS will have the capability for deep space missions, including going to an asteroid and eventually Mars. The core stage will be more than 200 feet tall with a diameter of 27.6 feet. It will store cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that will feed the rocket's four RS-25 engines.

"This rocket is a game changer in terms of deep space exploration and will launch NASA astronauts to investigate asteroids and explore the surface of Mars while opening new possibilities for science missions, as well,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Michoud Friday.

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NASA's First Orion Capsule Completed!

Orion Capsule Completed - Courtesy NASA

Story: Orion’s First Crew Module Complete - NASA

NASA has completed their first Orion capsule. This capsule is part of the space system that succeeds the Space Shuttle. These capsules will eventually be taken into space by the new Space Launch System (SLS).

This particular capsule will serve as a test bed. In December, it will be taken into space by a Delta IV heavy launch rocket to test its performance. There will be something special about its launch trajectory. It will be taken 3,600 miles above the Earth, higher than any launch vehicle in 40 years.

Mission Page: Orion Capsule - NASA

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NASA Building Heavy-Lift Rocket

Article: NASA Space Launch System - NASA


NASA is gearing up for its return to human space travel. The Orion space capsule program has been well underway for a while. It's basically an Apollo pace capsule on steroids! Much more room to get more crew to space.

And, getting that capsule into space means developing new rockets. The Space Launch System (SLS) will make that happen. There will be different configurations, from more basic (carrying smaller loads) to more complex (for heavier loads). This will allow NASA to get humans and cargo to anywhere from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to an eventual Mars mission.

The benefits are a customizable launch system that can be adapted to many different configurations for many different objectives!

The infrastructure to make this all happen has a number of components. A ribbon cutting just took place this week at the Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It is a new "green" building to house the engineers working on SLS. SLS and Orion capsule assembly will be conducted at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. This is the historic location where the Saturn rockets came together! Rocket testing will be conducted at Stennis Space Center, near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

It's an exciting time for those involved in the space program, as well as for those advocates and fans! I will follow the action and post updates as they come in!

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