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If the Falcon-9 Heavy launch is successful next week, that should be the death knell for the SLS boondoggle. There is really no other word for the super-heavy-lift rocket that has been nothing but paper plans and a few pieces of already-existing legacy hardware.
Most of the SLS, after YEARS of legacy contractors dragging along, has yet to cut the metal. Even now, the project is FAR overbudget and the cost of launches will keep climbing from the estimated 1B. The funny thing will be that they'll BLAME spaceX for making their launches more expensive, because the Falcon9 Heavy will be used to launch EVERYTHING that isn't built too large for anything but the SLS, reducing their "economy of scale". There will be a few token pieces of equipment that will require the SLS, just to justify its existence.
Thing is, by the time the SLS can actually fly (if ever) we could've demonstrated docking and space-assembly capabilities which would negate the necessity of the SLS. We should just kill it once the Falcon-9 Heavy is operational.
Since SpaceX can launch 1/2 the cargo at 1/10th the price, there is no longer any reason to continue this farce. I don't think a balder-faced wasteful government jobs program has existed at NASA, than the SLS.
The writing is on the wall. If Aerojet and Lockmart can't step up their game, someone needs to pry their lobbyists out of Washington and free up that money for the successful newcomers!
You make some good points, but the real killer would be if SpaceX can make a "SuperHeavy" version that duplicates SLS's LEO and Mars capacities. Then there would be no point for the SLS.
Just watched the Falcon Heavy lift off. Perfect mission. What a sight. The two side boosters stuck the landing.
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As much as I enjoyed watching all our space programs (yeah, I'm old ), this seems kinda special having been achieved by private industry.
While every trillion dollar GDP country is bumbling along to launch satellites, Elson Musk will be landing on Pluto and live streaming the first probes into a black hole
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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Originally Posted by BlakeJones
While every trillion dollar GDP country is bumbling along to launch satellites, Elson Musk will be landing on Pluto and live streaming the first probes into a black hole
More power to him! I've got nothing against sports but it'd be neat to see another NYC ticker-tape parade for an aviation/space accomplishment and the man behind it.
Live view of the Tesla going through radiation belt about to blast out towards mars in about 5 hours:
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), this seems kinda special having been achieved by private industry. 
