NASA: heavy lifter news

[Dr Mordrid]

is that the "omg we have to destroy something big in space before it hits the earth"-plan somebody has to pull out of a drawer hollywood-style in case of an emergency?

mfg
wulfman

Something like that

Personally I see multliple launches with a smaller HLV being more likely as the infrastructure for launching such a beast would be huge. Even so if they build the Ares V that'll do about 180 mT, which is not much less monsterous at almost 400 feet high (shuttle stack = 184 feet), but even it could pulverize a shuttle crawler/pad.

[Wulfman]

is that the "omg we have to destroy something big in space before it hits the earth"-plan somebody has to pull out of a drawer hollywood-style in case of an emergency?

mfg
wulfman

[Dr Mordrid]

to be ready by Thanksgiving....and it's to include a new look at DIRECT's Jupiter.

Universe Today article....

NASASpaceFlight.com article....

October 21st, 2009

NASA Administrator Orders Study of Heavy Lift Alternatives

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden has asked for an evaluation of alternative heavy lift rockets, including DIRECT’s Jupiter launch vehicle. The evaluation is a “top priority,” according to http://www.NASASpaceflight.com, and a special team from the Marshall Space Flight Center has been commissioned to conduct the study, with the directive to have a report ready by the end of November. Looking at alternatives to the Constellation program is an apparent reaction to the final Augustine Commission report, which will be made public on Thursday.

The other heavy lift vehicle also to be looked at is the Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, which is a shuttle-based concept with a cargo carrier side mounted to the current design of the external tank. The concept is capable of launching 80mt (metric tons) into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and around 54mt to the moon.

However sources at NASASpaceflight.com note that the DIRECT team’s Jupiter launch system has dominated early discussions at the Special Team meetings.
>

Jupiter (232 for cargo, 120 for crew)


Shuttle derived (known 20 years ago as Shuttle-C)


But there is another Jupiter in DIRECT's proposal, most useful for a Mars mission.
This is the monsterous Jupiter III - a huge core stage straddled by no less than
TWO shuttle tanks and FOUR solid boosters. A freaking monster capable of lofting
over 240 mT. Problem is it would destroy any current pad and crawler on ignition.

They'd probably hear this one going up all the way to Virginia