| arya | Date: Saturday, 17-September-2011, 2:35 PM | Message # 1 |
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| The design for a huge rocket to take humans to asteroids and Mars has been unveiled by the US space agency Nasa.
The Space Launch System (SLS), as it is currently known, will be the most powerful launcher ever built - more powerful even than the Saturn V rockets that put men on the Moon.
On top of the SLS, Nasa plans to put its Orion astronaut capsule, which is already in development.
The agency says the first launch should occur towards the end of 2017.
This will be an uncrewed test flight, and it is estimated the project will have cost $18bn (£11.4bn) by that stage.
"The next chapter of America's space exploration story is being written today," said Nasa's top official, General Charles Bolden.
"President Obama has challenged us to be bold and dream big, and that's exactly what we do.
"While I was proud to fly in the space shuttle, tomorrow's explorers will dream of one day walking on Mars."
Full article/source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14915725
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