Originally Posted by
WillowRun 6-3
Nostalgia for the NASA launch and mission tv broadcasts of old? ....
The current SLS upper stage is powered by an RL-10 engine (uncertain as to the iterated variant, though Wikipedia indicates it is an RL-10C-1-1, standard for the Centaur V upper stage). The RL-10 was developed in the late 1950s by Pratt and Whitney and in its manufacturing legacy, boasts as cool a space-truckin' name as Aerojet Rocketdyne
Interesting ramble on your post
But on the engine part: (in my feeble mind and not AI's), wasn't all 'Rocket' stuff done by the Soviets and Germany?
AFAIK, the 'Full flow' that Space X uses is of original Soviet design.
Of course technology and design tweaks will improve any engine.
Yes, a tragedy with the internal fire, (comms crossed over voltage + pure oxygen), wasn't it a design flaw added that mix - internal opening as against the 'away' opening...?
Space is hard and is pushing mankind to keep advancing in this area.
One looks at the 'latest' 3.7mtr crew area and it's like packed sardines!
Is the weight that critical to not have a more spacious capsule.
On that note, I notice the lack of paint job as the first Shuttle launch - straight from the factory
