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NASA's Space Launch System Moves into Testing and IntegrationNASA's Space Launch System (SLS) has moved from design and manufacturing into testing and integration for its first flight as early as December 2019. In 2017, the NASA/industry team completed manufacturing of all major structural elements for the launch vehicle for Exploration Mission-I (EM-1 ). That work included shipping the first major flight hardware element to the launch site. The team processed all four RS-25 engines for stage integration, cast all 10 booster flight motor segments, and manufactured all five major sections of the core stage. The program also completed major structural work on the B-2 test stand at Stennis Space Center, which will be used for the core stage "green run" test; delivered the core stage and engine simulators used for training; and much of the transportation equipment for the core stage. Engineers completed structural testing on the upper stage/payload section of the vehicle as well as the engine section test article. In 2018, the program will deliver the Orion Stage Adapter (OSA) to Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) at KSC and send the test articles for the core stage liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, and intertank to NASA's Marshall Space Flight center for structural testing. Additionally, workers will begin the challenging process of integrating the major sections of the 212-foot EM-1 core stage. This work is focused on the initial Block 1 variant of SLS, capable of launching more than 70 metric tons (t) to low Earth orbit (LEO). However, work concurrently is underway on the Block lB variant, which will enable 105 t to LEO and more than 37t to trans-lunar injection (TLI). Block lB will be the workhorse vehicle of NASA's lunar exploration plans. As the needs of the nation's deep space exploration program grow, SLS performance is designed to evolve to a payload mass of 130 t to LEO and up to 45t to TLI. The advantages of this mass - as well as volume- are critical to the entire exploration architecture for deep space exploration. They translate to greater capability, greater infrastructure and operational simplicity, less overall mission risk, and opportunities to accomplish unprecedented exploration and discovery. This paper will discuss SLS progress to date and planned future work.
Document ID
20180007859
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Abstract
Authors
Honeycutt, John (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Cook, Jerry (Peraton Corp. Herndon, VA, United States)
Lyles, Garry (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
November 27, 2018
Publication Date
October 1, 2018
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations
Report/Patent Number
M18-6530
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Astronautical Congress
Location: Bremen
Country: Germany
Start Date: October 1, 2018
End Date: October 5, 2018
Sponsors: International Astronautical Federation
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NM07AA70C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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