NASA approves rocket for deep-space travel

[bananas]

Source: Los Angeles Times

NASA gave the go-ahead to start full production on the most powerful rocket ever.

The rocket, known as Space Launch System, is set to blast beyond low-Earth orbit this decade to explore the deep reaches of space, including near-Earth asteroids, the moon and, ultimately, Mars.

Boeing Co., prime contractor on the rocket, announced Wednesday that it had completed a critical design review and finalized a $2.8-billion contract with NASA. The last time the space agency made such an assessment of a deep-space rocket was the mighty Saturn V, which took astronauts to the moon.

If all goes well, the rocket's initial test flight from Cape Canaveral, Fla., is expected in 2017.

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Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-boeing-mars-rocket-20140703-story.html

[Orrex]

1. The future of space exploration!

[heaven05]

12. LOL!!!!!

thank you for a belly laugh.

[another_liberal]

2. It's about damn time!

How long have we been without any shred of a manned space program, three years?

Super Power, indeed! We can't even put a man onto the ISS without a lift on a Soyuz.

[SkyDaddy7]

9. Who cares about the down time...

No one will remember 5-7yrs riding on Russian rockets when this thing blast off...Which I think is why Obama took the political HIT & did the right thing when he did.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

3. Hmmmm....

This is gonna be very noisy.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. I watched the launch of Apollo 16....

At one point it looked like a flaming red bird high in the sky.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. Best way of getting your ass kicked in school was to be on Nixon's side.

[AngryDem001]

4. How about we spend our moolah on this

instead of drones?

[SkyDaddy7]

8. THANKS OBAMA!

[OnlinePoker]

10. This isn't what I think of when I hear "deep-space"

I think of other stars, not the inner planets.

[heaven05]

11. look here

if NASA starts getting the big bucks back to start exploring 'deep' space with "powerful, large rockets and space vehicles. Be assured you can put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye cause the PTB will be trying to get up out here from this FUBAR planet.

[PeoViejo]

16. Let 'em go.

Not too many places to spend their money out there.

[Uncle Joe]

17. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, bananas.