HLV Raw: SSP side project making good progress for Augustine Review
NASASpaceflight.com
With the key decision points for the Augustine Commission fast approaching, one of the favorite alternatives to the Ares vehicles – the SD HLLV (Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle – or HLV for short) – has made great strides towards becoming a viable option for replacing the Space Shuttle.
The task of evaluating the HLV as a potential alternative path – to that of continuing the development of the Ares I vehicle – was handed to Space Shuttle Program (SSP) manager John Shannon, who built a team to work on refining the vehicle concept’s data, on behalf of the US Human Space Flight Review Committee.
The vehicle, side mounted to the current design of the External Tank, is a true Shuttle Derived concept, with heritage from a previous concept known as Shuttle-C.
The HLV is – on paper at least – capable of launching 80mt (metric tons) into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and around 54mt to the moon.
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