NASA studies new booster (UPI)

See:

"http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040227-105754-2873r"

Analysis: NASA studies new booster
By Frank Sietzen
United Press International
Published 2/27/2004 1:53 PM

"WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- NASA has begun studies to determine
if it will need a new class of powerful super rockets to boost the
new moon and Mars spaceships President Bush has proposed as part
of a new U.S. space policy."

The story says that a decision is expected by the end of 2004
on the sizing of vehicles. It says that some version of EOR
is likely for Project Constellation, with manned capsules
carried by EELV rockets, but cargo lofted by something an
order of magnitude more powerful. Shuttle derived vehicles
are being studied closely. One concept would convert orbiters
into unmanned cargo ships (able to carry 80,000 lbs to LEO).
Some designs would add a segment to the SRBs to increase
payload mass. Other designs would use cargo pods in place
of orbiters - some would use EELV engines in place of SSMEs
to boost payload to 200,000 pounds or more.

"... it would appear that some combination of Delta, Atlas and
Shuttle-evolved heavy cargo rockets will be the rocketships
that power Bush's moon and Mars dreams."

- Ed Kyle