NASA、新重量級ロケットはシャトル派生型で議会に提案予定。但し予算と期間は超過見込
Doug Cooke, NASA associate administrator for exploration systems, said the agency recently concluded the best approach for meeting the heavy-lift requirements spelled out in the law will be to build a rocket that incorporates the shuttle’s nearly 8.4-meter diameter external tanks, five space shuttle main engines also known as the RS-25D, a J-2X-based upper stage and two five-segment solid-rocket boosters similar to those NASA and industry have been working on the past several years for the Ares family of launchers Obama targeted for termination in the 2011 budget blueprint he sent lawmakers last February.
“However, to be clear, neither Reference Vehicle Design currently fits the projected budget profiles nor schedule goals outlined in the Authorization Act,” the document states.
コメント
結果的に見るとAresチームに対するDirectチーム(http://www.directlauncher.com/)の勝利でしょうか。Jupiterとサイズはちょっと違いますが。
