“No, Congress thinks trying to build an HLV is a high priority.”

I guess it depends on what you think Congress really thinks.

If they think that they need an HLV, then their actions indicate that they treat it as a high priority.

If they think an HLV would be a great jobs program, regardless if an HLV ever makes it to orbit, then “trying to build” would be accurate.

Of course the only way to know for sure is to look into the souls of those in Congress to understand their true motivations – kind of like emptying a septic tank to see why it keeps backing up…

Apparently Congress thinks building an HLV is a high priority, since they moved up the Administrations plans for one

No, Congress thinks trying to build an HLV is a high priority.

Thats not the same thing as actually building an HLV

“I tend to think that developing a big big big lifter is a low priority.”

Apparently Congress thinks building an HLV is a high priority, since they moved up the Administrations plans for one.

However, as many of us like to point out, a PAYLOAD for an HLV seems to be a low priority, or really just wishful thinking…

But my question is, development of ANY launch missile with a payload much heavier than that of the Delta IV Heavy in its current incarnation a high priority?

I tend to think that developing a big big big lifter is a low priority.

The latest news is that the TARP loss is down to $30 billion. We might even see a profit off TARP when the books are closed.

the key thing for any “Heavy” is that it has to be affordable…if the only user is government, it still has to be affordable….the only way that happens if 1) someone develops it who is not trying to carry along the 15000 or so jobs the shuttle takes and 2) parts of the heavy are shared by “something else”.

I honestly will be very surprised if the budget environment actually will sustain a heavy development, but there is zero chance if it is not some evolution of an existing vehicle…that retains 1 and 2 stated above of the existing vehicle.

Thats the money part, then the engineering can start.

Robert G. Oler

Thus, that upgrade option for the Delta, would be the most bang for the buck payload increase for an LV, ignoring the Phase 1 EDS/depot/commonality role. I imagine the context is in using the Delta system, conops/pad etc., thus D4.

It also closes the HLV window pushed by the SDLVers. It streamlines the D4 system and gets it off the exclusively used Hydrogen booster track. Makes use of this not so often used but existent booster system. It may have some modularity in the first stage. These are its qualities.

D4 may also be the more well known of the two, the rock star.

Since they merged, there is much more overlap in the evolutions, it’s a path to increased commonality, perhaps appropriate to say a long term merger to a single vehicle. Delta 5.

that is what I am referring to as the Delta IV super heavy and in my view that is the way things are going…

Ben Russell-Gough wrote @ October 5th, 2010 at 4:12 am

there is only a very small chance that there is going to be an HLV period, and the only chance to make it work is going to be evolving Delta IV not anything connected with the shuttle.

First off NASA HSF cant build a SDV of any sort for any amount of money, much less the pittance that they are going to get from any sort of current bill. What NASA has never figured out is that their programs are very costly because they employ way to many people, and they employ way to many people to try and keep the pork machine goign and it is very clear that no longer works.

If there is a chance for a heavy, it is going to be to recognize that it has to evolve in some manner from a current affordable launch vehicle, hang on to most of the elements of affordability, and be done by someone other then the idiots who have managed failed NASA programs since ALS/NLS…

The reality of course is that there is no need for a heavy. All the people here and at NASAspaceflight.com talk as if there are payloads for a heavy just waiting to be built…and there are not. Nor is there likely to be any money to build those payloads.

The end has come, the death panels have started to turn off the machines of the NASA HSF merrygo round and before long all we will have are “abandoned in place” stenciled nicely on things that never made much sense anyway.

A blind man could have seen this coming even when “the vision” was announce…I did and posted it here.

Robert G. Oler