You might think NASA’s not doing a lot these days, what with the dismantling of the manned space program and everything, but they’re still making explosions. Now there’s video: the J-2X, which NASA says is our next ticket to space.
You might expect the J-2X, which will push the retro-next-gen Space Launch System into orbit, to be pretty crazy in design. But really, it’s just a reboot of old ’60s tech. Nonetheless, NASA needs to make sure the thing doesn’t destroy itself, so, test test test. [NASA via PopSci]
chugs
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 9:59 AMengine or groovy smoke machine? that’s a really really long burn though
Eccentric
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11:41 AMI still think the Virgin mother-ship launch method is a lot less expensive and efficient!
Just This Guy ...
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 4:17 PMBut it cannot lift anywhere near the kinds of payloads required.
I reckon the guys at NASA probably know more on this issue that you.
Or me.
Eccentric
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 4:57 PMThey may know a bit more, but if they stuck with this technology back before Kennedy made his cold war speech, they would be way further down the track able to lift much bigger loads. Switching on a giant bomb to lift things is archaic and dangerous, lifting with a larger mother ship and payload will come together down the track!