Exploration Program Status Presentation to the NASA Advisory Council
Exploration Program Status Presentation to the NASA Advisory Council
Doug Cooke, Associate Administrator, NASAs Exploration Systems Mission Directorate
January 11, 2011
* Key Auth Act Direction
– The Administrator shall, to the extent practicable, extend or modify existing vehicle development and associated contracts
– The initial capability of the core elements, without an upper stage, of lifting payloads weighing between 70 tons and 100 tons into low-Earth orbit
– The capability to lift the multipurpose crew vehicle
– The capability to serve as a backup system for supplying and supporting ISS cargo requirements or crew delivery requirements not otherwise met by available commercial or partner-supplied vehicles
* SLS Reference Vehicle Design
– 27.5′ Diameter LOX/LH2 Core Stage
– Five RS25 based engines using Shuttle assets then RS25E expendable derivative
– Two 5-Segment Ares derived SRBs
– Delivers 108.6t to 30×130 nmi
* Evolved System to 130mT
– Upper stage with one or two J-2X upper stage engines (trades pending)
– Draft FY11 CR language dictates concurrent development of upper stage with core vehicle
