SSME-"Lite" on Cargo Launch Vehicle Core?

[trailrider]

I saw something about MSFC having Rocketdyne do a study on the CORE engine for the Cargo Launch Vehicle. Is this the core for the SDHLV or an upper stage for the cargo version of the "stick"? If the latter, doesn't this get us right back to doing the at-altitude ignition trick, with all its problems?<br /><br />Shuttle Guy, et al...a little help, please.<br /><br />Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!

 

[propforce]

It's more like SSME "cheap" version.<br /><br />Currently 5 SSMEs are slated as core engines for the heavy cargo lift vehicle (CaLV). They are planned to be "expendable", e.g., throw away, after every launch. <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[trailrider]

The "CaLV" designation threw me, and the artist's conceptual drawing didn't look long enough for the core vehicle of the heavy-hauler.<br /><br />I sure think it would be nice if they started NAMING the vehicles instead of all the acronyms and abbreviations. Might give the general public some identification with the vehicles. "Project Constellation is fine for the whole kit and kaboodle, but they ought to be more imaginative. <br /><br />For example, the USMC calls an officer who advanced from the enlisted ranks a "mustang". Might be a good name for the CLV. The heavy lifter might be called, "Percheron", though I think that name was used in some concept or other. Maybe "Clydesdale"??? "Hercules" was also a strongman, though that name is used for the Lockheed-Martin C-130. "Sampson?"<br /><br />Anyhow, thanks for the clarification.<br /><br />Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!<br />

 

[craig42]

Surely vehicles in Project Constellation ought to be called things like Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka, Ursa, Sol, Proxima and Orion

 

[lampblack]

Well, I noticed this link today courtesy of NasaWatch:<br /><br />http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=19725<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[soyuztma]

I think those illustrations of the cargo module for the stick have been added by Spaceref. I was also confused by these images but if you read only the text they clearly talk about the CaLV and that is the heavy lifter so they are not planning to put the SSME on the stick. It's just spaceref that is creating confusion by posting pictures of a cargo module. And wasn't this cargo module cancelled? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[lampblack]

<font color="yellow">The RS-25 is the non reusable engine for the first stage of the SDLV heavy. This NASA document seems to be addressing the CLV upper stage for a cargo launcher using the RS25. That is very strange since a month ago NASA directed the contractors that they (NASA) was not going to use the RS25 for an upper stage since there were too many problems developing the air start capability. Also they told the contractors that they (NASA) did not want to use the CLV to launch cargo. <br /><br />????????????I do not understand what is going on here.</font><br /><br />It almost seems as though the left hand and the right hand aren't exactly communicating. Imagine that. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />The only other possibility (seemingly) would be that NASA is considering different upper-stage engines for the cargo and crewed versions of the Stick. How likely is that?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>