NASA approves rocket for deep-space travel
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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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-boeing-mars-rocket-20140703-story.html
