MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA — NASA’s acting administrator Robert Lightfoot announced Wednesday that the space agency is thinking of sending ...
MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA — NASA’s acting administrator Robert Lightfoot announced Wednesday that the space agency is thinking of sending astronauts on a manned mission earlier than planned, possibly within U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term in office.nnThe Washington Post reports that NASA seems to be taking a bolder, riskier approach after the president made it apparent he wanted the U.S. to retain its dominance in space.nnSince the end of the Space Shuttle program, NASA has relied on Russia to send its astronauts into space.nnNASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS, rocket was originally slated to go on its first exploration mission in 2018 with an unmanned space capsule.nnThis timeline calls for the SLS to be launched from the Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 30, carrying the Orion space capsule into space in a mission known as EM-1.nnThe capsule would orbit the moon for about three weeks before returning to earth, splashing down into the ocean with the help of parachutes.nnA second crewed mission, the EM-2, was scheduled for 2021, with an alternative launch date set for 2023. But with new plans to consider the addition of a crew to EM-1, it seems astronauts could be going on the Orion as early as 2019.nnFor that, NASA needs an SLS rocket with a more powerful second stage, known as the Exploration Upper Stage, or EUS. The design for the EUS already passed a major review, but it has yet to be built.nnAnother hurdle that the agency needs to overcome is human-rating the Orion space capsule, which at the moment is still missing key life support systems.nnNASA may be enthusiastic about its latest move, but it’s unclear how it will meet program schedules, especially given its limited budget.nn------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------nnGo to https://www.patreon.com/tomonews and become a Patron now nnTomoNews is now on Patreon and we've got some cool perks for our hardcore fans.nnTomoNews is your best source for real news. We cover the funniest, craziest and most talked-about stories on the internet. Our tone is irreverent and unapologetic. If you’re laughing, we’re laughing. If you’re outraged, we’re outraged. We tell it like it is. And because we can animate stories, TomoNews brings you news like you’ve never seen before.nnVisit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.comnCheck out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCjnCheck out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1fnnGet top stories delivered to your inbox everyday: http://bit.ly/tomo-newsletternSee a story that should be animated? Tell us about it! Suggest a story here: http://bit.ly/suggest-tomonewsnnStay connected with us here:nFacebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUSnTwitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUSnGoogle+ http://plus.google.com/+TomoNewsUS/nInstagram @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus Less
