Any word on heavy lift?

Has anyone heard any news on whether NASA has decided a new or derived heavy
lifter is going to be needed for the Vision for Exploration, or whther they
still hope they can do it with just Delta and Atlas?

Thanks
Matt Bille
)
OPINIONS IN ALL POSTS ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR

(MattWriter) wrote in message ...
Has anyone heard any news on whether NASA has decided a new or derived heavy
lifter is going to be needed for the Vision for Exploration, or whther they
still hope they can do it with just Delta and Atlas?


-NASA's new space 'hot rod'

United Press International
Published 7/30/2004 7:30 PM

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=...0-052921-9674r

First part of story at this URL:

-NASA begins moon return effort

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=...8-124356-2684r


A story about NASA's Project Prometheus nuclear rocket stage.

- Rusty Barton

(MattWriter) wrote:
Has anyone heard any news on whether NASA has decided a new or derived heavy
lifter is going to be needed for the Vision for Exploration, or whther they
still hope they can do it with just Delta and Atlas?

Which Center are you asking?

Evidence previously presented in sci.space.* is that the answer varies
greatly by Center.

Of course, evidence previously presented in sci.space.* is that the
answer varies greatly by poster, too.

Hmmmm. What sort of habitat for extended stays could you land on the
moon using DIV-H and using a crasher stage? A nice little bungalow
for 10 for 2-3 weeks? Would you need to send the crew's consumables
on a seperate vehicle? You'd have to for the second crew, anyway.

/dps

A story about NASA's Project Prometheus nuclear rocket stage.

- Rusty Barton BRBR


The Prometheus nuclear rockets are not really relevant, as they don't address
the question of lift from Earth to LEO. If anything, they exacerbate it, since
the reactors and shielding add to the mass you have to lift. So the question
is still whether there's any hint that NASA has decided it needs a heavy-lifter
beyond the EELV vehicles to fufill the Vision.

Thanks,


Matt Bille
)
OPINIONS IN ALL POSTS ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR

On 27 Aug 2004 13:32:04 GMT, in a place far, far away,
(MattWriter) made the phosphor on my monitor glow
in such a way as to indicate that:

Has anyone heard any news on whether NASA has decided a new or derived heavy
lifter is going to be needed for the Vision for Exploration, or whther they
still hope they can do it with just Delta and Atlas?

That's an issue to be addressed in the upcoming exploration
architecture studies. I certainly hope they wouldn't have made a
decision yet.