Sept. 16, 2011 Vol. 51, No. 18 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe NASA unveils NASA, ATK plans for work on new new rocket Liberty rocket By Steven Siceloff By Linda Herridge Spaceport News Spaceport News ASA will build a rocket ASA recently with Alli- larger and more power- ant Techsystems (ATK) Nful than even the massive Nentered into an agreement Saturn V moon rockets under a plan that could help speed up the avail- unveiled Sept. 14 to take astronauts ability of U.S. commercial crew farther into space than ever before. transportation capabilities to the The Space Launch System, or International Space Station and SLS, will take astronauts into deep low-Earth orbit, expand interna- space on missions to asteroids, the tional cooperation and bring jobs moon or Mars. into Florida. “We are dreaming big,” NASA An unfunded Space Act Agree- Administrator Charlie Bolden said. ment (SAA), announced Sept. 13 “We’re investing in technologies to between NASA and ATK, will live and work in space and it sets allow a partnership on the devel- the stage for visiting asteroids and opment of ATK’s Liberty Launch Mars.” System as part of the agency’s Just like its Saturn V predecessor, Commercial Crew Development the SLS heavy-lift rocket will Round 2 activities through March launch from NASA’s Kennedy 2012. Space Center. Kennedy’s main work The agreement through NASA’s during the SLS development will Commercial Crew Program, center on designing ground support based at Kennedy Space Center, equipment for the test flights and will allow the agency and ATK to then the operational missions. review and discuss Liberty system The unique facilities at Kennedy requirements; safety and certifica- are expected to be used for SLS, too. Photo courtesy of ATK tion plans; computational models In addition to the landmark Vehicle of rocket stage performance; and Assembly Building, which stacked avionics architecture design. the Saturn V for launch, Kennedy “We want to explore if this ca- NASA has processing areas and clean pability can be used in a commer- An artist concept of the Space Launch System, or SLS, on a Kennedy Space Center launch pad. The SLS rocket will incorporate technological investments from the Space Shuttle Program and the Constel- See DESIGN, Page 3 lation Program. See UNITE, Page 3 Kennedy home to lab Magazine honors Chesson Future Exploration ‘Apollo 18’ Facts vs. Fiction Inside this issue ... Page 2 Page 6 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 16, 2011 Kennedy now home to ISS national lab manager By Linda Herridge will develop and manage a Spaceport News varied research and devel- opment portfolio based on he Space Life Sci- U.S. national needs for basic ences Laboratory at Kennedy Space and applied research. T During the first year of Center is the new home to the organization that will the agreement, Becker said manage the portion of the CASIS will work closely International Space Station with NASA’s existing space that is operated as a U.S. station customers, and national laboratory. develop the infrastructure to A NASA cooperative handle solicitations. CASIS agreement recently was also plans to fund some of awarded to The Center for its own science and research the Advancement of Science experiments. in Space (CASIS). The inde- Though many of the pendent, nonprofit, research experiments may be devel- management organization oped in other parts of the will base its efforts at Ken- country, Becker said that nedy and help ensure the payload integration will be space station’s unique capa- performed at Kennedy’s bilities are made available to Space Life Sciences Lab to the broadest possible cross- prepare each for delivery to section of U.S. scientific, the space station. technological and industrial NASA/Kim Shiflett The cooperative agree- communities. Panelists conduct a question and answer session with news media Sept. 9 after NASA awards a cooperative agreement with ment between NASA and “The station is the the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to manage the portion of the International Space Station that CASIS is for 10 years with centerpiece of our human operates as a U.S. national laboratory. From left are: Waleed Abdalati, NASA chief scientist; Mark Uhran, NASA assistant spaceflight activities for associate administrator for the International Space Station; and Jeanne Becker, CASIS executive director. CASIS will be initial assistance funding of the coming years,” NASA located at the Space Life Sciences Laboratory at Kennedy Space Center. up to $15 million per year. Administrator Charlie “Kennedy is the heart Bolden said. “This coopera- -- literally and figuratively tive agreement allows us to “With the space station complete, we’re poised for the next stage, -- of the launching ground expand the station’s use and the next step. We have up in space this tremendous national asset for space exploration, so it’s achieve its fullest potential very fitting that it be based so we can reach destinations that is the International Space Station. It’s an asset for science, ex- here,” Abdalati said. farther in the solar system ploration, industry, our nation and the world as a whole. It’s an asset “This is a catalyst for and improve life on Earth.” of which we’re very proud and it has tremendous potential.” what we believe will be NASA’s Chief Scientist quite big. We’re at a posi- Waleed Abdalati said that tion now where NASA is this is a time of transition in Waleed Abdalati, going to continue to do its terms of human spaceflight NASA’s Chief Scientist focused research, but we and human exploration as have the opportunity here to the agency transitions from do so much more,” Abdalati the shuttle to commercial assistant associate adminis- from which we have seen research and technology said. “We’re poised for capability. trator for the International growing interest,” Uhran development and education discovery and to learn new “With the space station Space Station said that the said. initiatives and also engage things. I think there will be complete, we’re poised for completion of the space CASIS will now step up the community many surprises to discover.” the next stage, the next step. station is a historic achieve- to manage those interests, “I know first-hand We have up in space this tre- ment. further stimulating them the opportunities and mendous national asset that “The award to CASIS as NASA moves into the uti- advancements that can be More online is the International Space for the advancement of sci- lization era of space station, made using this national Station,” Abdalati said. ence and space allows the an era that has opportunities laboratory, this microgravity For more information “It’s an asset for science, agency to go the next step never before available. environment,” Becker said. about the International exploration, industry, our now and extend the national CASIS Executive “CASIS will drive discover- Space Station National nation and the world as a laboratory to organizations Director Jeanne Becker ies that can’t be achieved on Laboratory, visit: whole. It’s an asset of which across the U.S., academic said the organization stands the ground and utilize the www.nasa.gov/mission_ we’re very proud and it has and private institutions, ready to develop the premier national lab to return value pages/station/research/ tremendous potential.” and non-profit research and institution needed to re- back to citizens.” nlab/index.html. Mark Uhran, NASA development foundations, ally advance space-based Becker said CASIS Sept. 16, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 complex of the future.” space shuttle missions. we put it out there, will be From DESIGN, Page 1 The rocket will be built around “We have very little engine very attractive to other users,” rooms that can support spacecraft of a core stage the same diameter as development to do,” Gerstenmaier Gerstenmaier said, noting the all sorts. The crawler-transporters a space shuttle external tank and said. rocket could be used to launch huge and the 355-foot-tall mobile powered by three space shuttle main Gerstenmaier said the new satellites or other cargo without launcher, or ML, also are available engines, with later flights using five rocket’s designers focused on astronauts on board. to support a rocket at the launch pad. SSMEs. Five-segment solid rocket using existing technology in the Compared to the Saturn V rocket “Kennedy Space Center received boosters will be mounted to the side rocket in many areas so it can be that carried astronauts to the moon exciting news, as NASA announced of the tank for additional power, built using modern, more efficient from 1968 – 1972, the SLS would the design for the most powerful although liquid-fueled boosters manufacturing techniques. produce 10 percent more thrust American rocket since the Saturn could be incorporated on later flights “This is being designed and when configured to launch 70 metric V took astronauts to the moon after an industry competition. built in a new, modern way,” tons into space. The larger version, -- the Space Launch System,” “We can tell you we have the Gerstenmaier said. “We’ll probably will boast 20 percent more thrust said Bob Cabana, Kennedy Space capability with this for some build the tank vertically instead of than the Saturn. Center director. “Kennedy’s role pretty exciting missions,” said horizontally.” The large version of the SLS also continues to be significant and Bill Gerstenmaier, associate The design also is intended to will be 40 feet taller than a Saturn V, central to shaping the next era of administrator for Human be modular so it can be tailored to coming in at about 400 feet.