The Rocket That Will Power Orion

NASA's new rocket is constructed is about to begin testing.  The Space Launch System or SLS is designed specifically for Orion and to propel the ship to Mars and asteroids in the near future.  The new rocket is similar to the ones used on the space shuttle and employs some of the same technology. The boosters for the rocket will be used for the first two minutes of flight in order to get the ship out of the Earth's gravitational pull.  There are two boosters and each will provide a trust of 3.6 million pounds of thrust.  Once the boosters run out they will detach and the ship will be left with its cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen supplies that will feed the vehicle’s RS-25 engines. These engines will do all the work once in space and will be able to take man to, with the help of Orion, finally to the red planet.

The first qualification motor for NASA's Space Launch System's booster is installed in ATK's test stand in Utah and is ready for a March 11 static-fire test.

Image Credit: 

ATK