WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The second of two rocket booster motor tests has met performance standards and provided data needed to proceed with development of a US launch vehicle to send astronauts to Mars, Orbital ATK announced in a press release.
"SLS is America’s rocket, and it is very exciting to know Orbital ATK’s boosters will play a big part in launching our astronauts out of Earth’s gravity and on to deep space," the release explained.
SLS, or Space Launch System, is a heavy-lift rocket designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.
The system is also one of several attempts by the United States to develop an alternative for the Russian-made RD-180 booster — a key component of the most powerful rocket now available, the Atlas V.
