"Space Launch System" needs a better name!

[Requia]

PAELS: Pointless and expensive launch system

They take so long time with such big cost, than the day it will be ready, spacex will have a similar heavy launcher for much lower cost.

My prediction is that it will be used 5 times top.

Nasa should stop designing rockets or capsules, that money it will be more efficient spent in spacex hands.

Its a high fixed cost/low marginal cost system, if they use it 5 times its expensive, if they use it 39 (number of launches for just the Discovery, let alone all STS systems combined) its cheap. The idea that they'll use it just 5 times is based on the idea that SpaceX will get used instead, but SpaceX's system will have a higher marginal cost (they have to turn a profit, NASA doesn't for its own payloads), so there's no reason to ever pay SpaceX to launch a single NASA payload once the SLS is complete, if they don't return to the old heavy launch schedule once Orion is ready for some reason Falcon is also going to be useless to them.

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Not to mention, upon review of the Falcon heavy abilities, even the SLS-70 will outperform it, let alone the SLS-130.

[basic.syntax]

SLS is a boondoggle, plain and simple. Shuttle is a terrible model for doing, well, anything at all. The launch cost estimates for SLS are about as realistic as it was to call Shuttle "a space truck." remember when it was supposed to be cheap, and fly twice a month? LOL.

What do you put on top of a rocket with no mission? I guess a spacecraft with no mission.

I agree that the word "cost estimate" is a problem in regards these massive programs. But the Shuttle (which wasn't cheap, as you say) did get close to a twice a month schedule, and it had a mission at the time - putting up the ISS. Launches were becoming routine enough, that they no longer led network news programs. Unfortunately, twice a month proved unrealistic... Challenger happened.

I don't really know what to do with SLS, either. Robotic exploration is becoming so very good at traipsing across endless landscapes for months... years, at a time. NASA is well aware of the phrase "flags and footprints."

[lajoswinkler]

How about Uranus?

The saturn rockets were named so because Saturn is "the one after Jupiter", since they had Jupiter rockets, too.

Although Neptune sounds cooler....

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All numbered atlases used the same upper stage. I'd say the differences are about the same...

Yup, Uranus would be the next name indeed.

However, because of unfortunate English language, we could use its ancient Roman equivalent - Caelus. Now that's a nice name.

[Nibb31]

Shuttle II would make a fine name. This vehicle has more in common with Space Shuttle than Atlas III had with Atlas II. Alternatively, for a more poetic name, how about Friendship! I think it sounds nice, it's a virtuous trait, and it references America's first piloted orbital mission, Friendship 7.

Look up the definition of the word shuttle. SLS is the exact opposite of a shuttle system.

Space Launch System is good enough for me, although a bit too generic. Space Exploration Launch System (SELS) or Heavy Launch System (HLS) would have been better.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Nibb31

[Kibble]

Look up the definition of the word shuttle. SLS is the exact opposite of a shuttle system.

Like I said in another thread, it's just a name. Depending on how you use the word "shuttle", any orbiting space vehicle is a shuttle - regularly travelling between two points.

Space Launch System is good enough for me, although a bit too generic. Space Exploration Launch System (SELS) or Heavy Launch System (HLS) would have been better.

Really? Even military missiles have proper names. It should at least be a pronounceable acronym.

[Nibb31]

Like I said in another thread, it's just a name. Depending on how you use the word "shuttle", any orbiting space vehicle is a shuttle - regularly travelling between two points.

SLS isn't going to be regularly travelling between two points.

And Space Shuttle was never a name. It was a nickname.

Really? Even military missiles have proper names. It should at least be a pronounceable acronym.

Can't you pronounce SLS ? What makes it worse than F-22, X-37B or ISS ?

[Robotengineer]

SLS isn't going to be regularly travelling between two points.

And Space Shuttle was never a name. It was a nickname.

Can't you pronounce SLS ? What makes it worse than F-22, X-37B or ISS ?

ISS has a vowel. SLS would be hard, would you pronounce it sles or sels?

[SargeRho]

Because the F-22 has a name: Raptor. As do most military aircraft, and even most missiles, like the AMRAAM. The SLS doesn't have a name. ISS rolls off the tongue more easily than SLS too.

[Kryten]

Really? Even military missiles have proper names.

As of late, they generally don't. Take the F-35; excepting the 50's-vintage sidewinder and various British weapons, the options are AMRAAM, ASRAAM, SDB, JSM, HSSW, WCMD, AARGM, JAGM, SOM, LRASM and JDAM. You'd have trouble finding an uglier set of acronyms.

ISS has a vowel. SLS would be hard, would you pronounce it sles or sels?

What's wrong with 'ess-ell-ess'?

[Yukon0009]

MonSuR

(Money Sucking Rocket)

[RainDreamer]

Pointy flying thing with flame.

[Kibble]

ISS rolls off the tongue more easily than SLS too.

Plus "Space Station", and even "Station" are very recognizable and catchy! "System" is a generic and IMHO ugly word.

[Robotengineer]

Or perhaps the Corporate Welfare System? More accurate.

[Nibb31]

Because the F-22 has a name: Raptor.

Yes, but who calls it Raptor? Everyone calls it the F-22.

As do most military aircraft, and even most missiles, like the AMRAAM.

And AMRAAM isn't an acronym?

The SLS doesn't have a name. ISS rolls off the tongue more easily than SLS too.

I really don't see the difference unless you pronounce it "iss" instead of "eye-ess-ess".

[ComradeWolfe]

This is going to be a perfectly adequate launch system but nothing exceptional... I vote the SLS be named the "Cromulent" series of rockets in recognition of its non-specialness.

[Umlüx]

i'd call it the SOMB!

the smell of money burning

[Kibble]

Are the congress/money/government/funding jokes ever going to stop?

[Dkmdlb]

But the Shuttle (which wasn't cheap, as you say) did get close to a twice a month schedule, and it had a mission at the time - putting up the ISS

What? It never flew more than 6 missions in a given year during ISS construction, and did that only once, in 2001. Its average over that period was 4 flights per year (excluding 2003-2005 because Columbia).

That's not close to twice a month.

[KerikBalm]

MJFY- 'Murica Jebus F*** Yea

Crusader: because the US senate loves to put religion over science

The Constituent - because the senators try to spread the funding to their own constituents, to improve their reelection odds.

Propaganda

The Middle finger... because the point is to give the middle finger to Putin/China, no?

Trump - because he loves to put his name on everything, and wants a moonbase... maybe he'll help pay for it

[Robotengineer]

Are the congress/money/government/funding jokes ever going to stop?

No.

Also, the Space Shuttle was technically the STS, but no one called it that, why should SLS be different?

[Zucal]

Porkbarrel Express?

How about the retired SLS? At least that's what I hope it is called once it gets cancelled.

PAELS: Pointless and expensive launch system

Senate Launch System. (It's painfully accurate)

SLS is a boondoggle, plain and simple.

MonSuR (Money Sucking Rocket)

Or perhaps the Corporate Welfare System? More accurate.

i'd call it the SOMB! the smell of money burning

Crusader: because the US senate loves to put religion over science

The Constituent - because the senators try to spread the funding to their own constituents, to improve their reelection odds.

Propaganda

The Middle finger... because the point is to give the middle finger to Putin/China, no?

Trump - because he loves to put his name on everything, and wants a moonbase... maybe he'll help pay for it

Please stop. I get it, the Senate likes this program and some people think that's bad. I know there are more futuristic, less expensive, and more versatile plans out there, but this thread is for realistically naming the rocket we've got, not making the same half-assed joke over and over and over and over. I could find a dozen threads on a dozen forums with a dozen other wisecracks indistinguishable from the ones here, and don't even get me started on the "Let's call it the JEB Moar Booster 9000 rocket" jokes. Let's try to get this thread back on topic.

I think Neptune is a great name, as is Typhon. If NASA really wants to evoke Apollo, they could call it Kronos, the Greek form of Saturn. Plenty of badass Greek and Roman names out there.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Zucal

[SargeRho]

Yes, but who calls it Raptor? Everyone calls it the F-22.

And AMRAAM isn't an acronym?

I really don't see the difference unless you pronounce it "iss" instead of "eye-ess-ess".

Just about everyone calls it Raptor. And AMRAAM can be pronounced as "Am-ram". ISS is easier to say than SLS, because it has a vowel.

[Dkmdlb]

How about Centurion? Latin name, evoking warrior something or other, and is related to the number 100, which is the number of tons future versions may lift to LEO.

[Robotengineer]

Spartan Launch System? Hardly Spartan, but fits the acronym.

[Kibble]

Meteor is a fun name for a rocket! I also think Friendship deserves some consideration.