Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member...

31 replies on “SLS Has a New Name: Boeing Space Launch System”

  1. Yep, and it does get more mass to LEO than the Saturn V. A pity it doesn’t have any missions that can actually make good use of that heavy lift capability aside from the underfunded, probably-not-happening Asteroid Retrieval Mission.

    1. This sums up my frustration with US Govt manned space program. My only hope is that with an HLV in hand, if the govt eventually gets serious about manned exploration, the time from funding to actual launch will be fairly short.

    2. The SLS 1 has a 70 ton LEO capability. 2018 earliest
      The SLS Block 1b has a 105 ton LEO capability 2021 earliest

      The Saturn V had a 118 ton LEO capacity. 1967

      A future paper rocket (no earlier that 2030), the SLS Block 2 reaches 130t to LEO. Good luck in ever seeing it really production funded. In any event SpaceX plans to have reuseable rockets >200t capacity in regular flight well before that.

  3. Does this mean that Boeing is subsidizing its development cost? I thought Boeing was building it for NASA and per NASA’s requirements?

    What was the strategy for the name change? Is it a marketing move to keep Boeing’s name at the forefront?

    NASA does need to get serious about human space flight, and that includes a definitive and strategically laid out plan that takes us from where we are to wherever we are going. It means NASA using its resources and particularly its people to make real progress.

    My own experience is that you develop a lot of experience over many years, which translates into expertise (is experience and expertise synonymous?), and you might even have an advanced degree or two in your line of expertise, And you have NASA Managers who have little experience in the area, little or no expertise, few if any of the advanced degrees or training, but someone thought they had “judgement”. You make recommendation based on years of study and experience, and the manager thinks about it for 2 minutes and says “no, lets do something else”. Its not too surprising that not a lot of progress is being made.

    That was the failure that was Constellation, and that is why ISS is only now beginning to think about how they can work more effectively.

  4. Is this the official NASA adopted name? It would seem curious that a national launch asset would have a vendor’s brand baked into the system’s identity. Would very much like to see a return to the mythological nomenclature of the pre-shuttle days.

    1. Because Congress understood from day one this was a porkwagon to nowhere that would eventually get canceled… do not waste catchy names on porkwagons that will never fly operationally.

  6. Hmm.. ok, Freudian (well, maybe not) slip aside, this was interesting. Orion doing the sep/turnaround/dock way earlier than the Apollo flights, the talk of solar electric propulsion, etc.. has Boeing talked solar before? This should generate some talk if nothing else.

      1. Disaster is an understatement. Concurrent engineering cannot exist without a well developed plan and vision and NASA seems to have neither.

  8. C’mon guys. Boeing is just advertising that they are helping to build SLS. The name has not been changed.

    1. Boeing wants to remind the Congress Critters that SLS is their porkship entitlement, and that the 800 pound gorilla in the room will get very angry if anyone suggests that this rocket to nowhere be cancelled.

  9. Since this is a jobs project without any real mission I find it fitting that the new “official” acronym starts with BS

    2. This is too funny. All the Boeing corporate welfare. Boeing is killing NASA and NASA doesn’t even realize it.

  10. Yes everyone! The SLS has not changed its name to ” THE BOEING SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM ” even though the title chosen for this NASA WATCH entry obviously does lead people to erroneously think its been changed. Its just meant to be provocative.

  11. Well, that was a disjointed load of claptrap. It sounded like a laundry list of every pork-y reason that Congress is mandating this work. *Yawn*

  16. “The largest vehicle ever planned. “

    I’m always a little skeptical about the practicality of the “largest” anything. I wouldn’t want to be downrange when they try that first test launch.

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