Space Launch System

NASA's next heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System, passed it's first big programmatic test recently.  The review looled at the progeam's structure, the technical requiirements of developing the launcher, the necessary budget, etc.  The next hurdle, approval of the concept of the rocket, will come late next year.

SLS is designed to propel astromauts beyomd low Earth orbit-- to the Moon, asteroids, and Mars, for starters.  When fully developed, SLS would be more powerful than the legendary Saturn V that sent Apollo to the Moon.

The first test flight is scheduled for 2017.