NASA Artemis 1 Launch

Why isn't this a "bigger thing" with people? To me its really amazing.

 

Its never really been. NASA was never good at PR and the news media doesn't promote it. People are ho mum about it.

 

Not really an advance in technology, so hard to generate much interest until they start putting astronauts around and on the moon. Elon's RLVs are more exciting until then.

 

Using shuttle engines..with basicly larger shuttle boosters..the entire system is very old..and seems rather parts bin. But again..how else could you do it?

The costs..Insane. how is Elon able to lunch these things for so much less money? Even his Mars rocket comes in far cheaper..well projected numbers anyways..to get to Mars.

 

And it’s going to cost 4.1 billion per launch. Absolutely bananas.

 

The STS (Shuttle) annual bill including direct and indirect costs was about $8B, but there was usually more than one launch each year.

 

SpaceX is reusing the expensive parts, and it's privately managed. Whenever you get a government managed program, it's going to be more expensive.

 

This animation shows how a possible Mars mission could be assembled with the SLS.

 

Our prime contractors said NASA programs typically cost 50% more than equivalent DoD programs because NASA wanted to "help".

 

You are right Terry. On the DOD space programs I was associated, DOD wanted oversight and also NASA expendable programs. NASA’s man space flight was definitely different. I was a consultant to Marshall Space Flight Center on the SLS solid boosters. The young program leaders were willing to change but were over ruled by the old diehards.

 

Most of my work was with Marshall. I did source selection for the NRA that resulted in X-37 and worked with them on other RLV programs.

 

Already stated, but who really cares about the NASA equivalent of a hyper expensive Hollywood reboot of a 1960s masterpiece. This is just a huge waste of our money. Completely underwhelmed.

 

Well that’s like saying sending any ships after Columbus is a waste.

 

I prefer that the NASA wastes money on this compared to politicians who waste money on their wars that have already killed hundreds of millions of people for decades.

 

No, it's like Columbus going back to the Spanish 55 yrs later and asking for 20 times as much to repeat the exact same voyage.

 

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step....

 

and the next step, another $5billion, and the next step, another $5...........and so on........