Nasa - Only one long term visible for the SLS had been listed in recent months, showing the debut of the Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV) in 2017 – an unmanned task around the moon – prior to a four year gap until the crewed version was to be launched.
That visible showed that it would take until SLS-13 for the debut of the fully evolved 130mt version of the SLS, planned for 2032.
The schedule was rightly criticized. However, it was always characterize as a worst case scenario manifest – not least because the full mission outline for the SLS launches was yet to be formed. This work is currently ongoing under the leadership of former Space Shuttle Program (SSP) manager John Shannon.
The expected realization of an improved manifest is now starting to be satisfied, just weeks after the SLS was officially announced, in turn allowing for a full test plan effort to be worked.
SLS-1, a 70mt version of the SLS, is still expected to debut in 2017, with a “crew capable” Orion (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) being sent on a test trip around the Moon. The 2021 debut of SLS/Orion for the crewed version of this mission is now being pressed to the left by two years, with a launch date of 2019.
The news came via notes linked with a meeting between SLS and Orion managers, which discussed the future Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process, in turn providing “high level guidance” to schedule planning.
“MOD (Mission Operations Directorate) is to prepare bottoms up budget for a 2017 un-crewed circum lunar mission. MPCV (Orion) wants that vehicle to be crew capable. In addition MPCV wants to pull the planned 2021 manned mission to the left to 2019,” added the notes on L2, dated September 26. “MOD is also to prepare a budget for a 2019 crewed High Lunar Orbit mission.”
This realigned schedule effort slips the Orion Flight Test (OFT-1) – involving the MPCV being sent on a multi-orbit mission around the Earth via a Delta IV-H – to December, 2013. This slip of around six months had been likely for some time, and the test may yet slip into 2014.
The AA2 test – which involves an unmanned ascent abort test of Orion at MaxQ velocities – will follow the OFT-1 mission, although no date has yet been scheduled.
“The (new) schedule is OFT-1, Dec 2013. AA2 following that mission, then the 2017 and 2019 flight. direction from (managers) will be forth coming, as there is open work on procedure, displays, training, etc to support the purposed schedule.”
Unlike the Constellation Program (CxP) – which appeared to start with an indefensible schedule, prior to almost yearly slips being noted during Program Milestone Reviews (PMRs) – sources note that all SLS mission schedules are being worked with large amounts of margin.
It has been noted that the crewed mission around the moon may even be higher to 2018, one year after the debut SLS-1 launch, should funding projections remain stable over the coming years. Even with the two year advance to SLS-2, the downstream manifest is predictable to improve to the point the evolved SLS may be ready “many years” ahead of the earlier schedule.
That visible showed that it would take until SLS-13 for the debut of the fully evolved 130mt version of the SLS, planned for 2032.
The schedule was rightly criticized. However, it was always characterize as a worst case scenario manifest – not least because the full mission outline for the SLS launches was yet to be formed. This work is currently ongoing under the leadership of former Space Shuttle Program (SSP) manager John Shannon.
The expected realization of an improved manifest is now starting to be satisfied, just weeks after the SLS was officially announced, in turn allowing for a full test plan effort to be worked.
SLS-1, a 70mt version of the SLS, is still expected to debut in 2017, with a “crew capable” Orion (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) being sent on a test trip around the Moon. The 2021 debut of SLS/Orion for the crewed version of this mission is now being pressed to the left by two years, with a launch date of 2019.
The news came via notes linked with a meeting between SLS and Orion managers, which discussed the future Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process, in turn providing “high level guidance” to schedule planning.
“MOD (Mission Operations Directorate) is to prepare bottoms up budget for a 2017 un-crewed circum lunar mission. MPCV (Orion) wants that vehicle to be crew capable. In addition MPCV wants to pull the planned 2021 manned mission to the left to 2019,” added the notes on L2, dated September 26. “MOD is also to prepare a budget for a 2019 crewed High Lunar Orbit mission.”
This realigned schedule effort slips the Orion Flight Test (OFT-1) – involving the MPCV being sent on a multi-orbit mission around the Earth via a Delta IV-H – to December, 2013. This slip of around six months had been likely for some time, and the test may yet slip into 2014.
The AA2 test – which involves an unmanned ascent abort test of Orion at MaxQ velocities – will follow the OFT-1 mission, although no date has yet been scheduled.
“The (new) schedule is OFT-1, Dec 2013. AA2 following that mission, then the 2017 and 2019 flight. direction from (managers) will be forth coming, as there is open work on procedure, displays, training, etc to support the purposed schedule.”
Unlike the Constellation Program (CxP) – which appeared to start with an indefensible schedule, prior to almost yearly slips being noted during Program Milestone Reviews (PMRs) – sources note that all SLS mission schedules are being worked with large amounts of margin.
It has been noted that the crewed mission around the moon may even be higher to 2018, one year after the debut SLS-1 launch, should funding projections remain stable over the coming years. Even with the two year advance to SLS-2, the downstream manifest is predictable to improve to the point the evolved SLS may be ready “many years” ahead of the earlier schedule.
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