SLS goes orange

[monstah]

Did you hear that? SLS is now a big orange tank.

I have to say I liked the white look, but I'm the familiarity of the orange design.

[legoclone09]

Awesome! I assume it is to save weight, since paint has mass.

[NovaSilisko]

It's been orange for a loooooong time, actually. This is only the first time that public stuff on the NASA website has reflected it. Also, they're apparently painting the adapter orange to match the tank, for some reason.

[Darnok]

So NASA budget is getting smaller again, no money for white paint

[NovaSilisko]

If you ask me, the white paint was a bit of a psychological ploy to help try and convince people in general that no, this really is not in fact Ares V Reborn (which it is, basically), as well as attempting to throw back to The Good Old Days of Apollo/Saturn

[smjjames]

I thought the orange is in fact, insulation for the cryogenic systems keeping the hydrogen fuel liquid? You know, like the big shuttle booster tank.

[Gaarst]

Orange tanks, a.k.a. NASA trying (once more) their best to convince people the Space Shuttle wasn't the greatest mistake they ever made...

Edited October 22, 2015 by Gaarst

[legoclone09]

Hello Novasilisko!

Anyways, i think it's to save weight because this is the normal insulation but just not painted. I like it much better this way, although the Saturn-style is good as well.

[G'th]

If you ask me, the white paint was a bit of a psychological ploy to help try and convince people in general that no, this really is not in fact Ares V Reborn (which it is, basically), as well as attempting to throw back to The Good Old Days of Apollo/Saturn

I don't think so. I'm pretty sure most rockets at the stage SLS was in were rendered with what looks "pretty" as opposed to what would be functional for the vehicle.

That and the SLS is derived from the Shuttle, and its fuel tank was also originally painted white but dropped to natural colors in order to save weight.

Rocketry nowadays is more about whats functional than aesthetic. Painting the entire stage like that would be a pointless aesthetic move that would cut into the payload.

[smjjames]

Orange tanks, a.k.a. NASA trying (once more) their best to convince people the Space Shuttle wasn't the greatest mistake they ever made...

I'm pretty sure orange tanks aren't only used by NASA.

Also, the Orion capsule is going to be on the top, so, it curcumvents the loose foam problem.

@G'th: They did go a bit stylistic with the boosters though....

[FungusForge]

Gosh dang that rocket looks like it just rolled out of a Rockomax factory.

[Dfthu]

Wow. That is really pretty especially the boosters

[G'th]

@G'th: They did go a bit stylistic with the boosters though....

They did, but there again I've never really seen a solid booster that was left with natural colors.

[Kryten]

I'm pretty sure orange tanks aren't only used by NASA.

Same foam used on Japan's H-2/2A/2B series.

They did' date=' but there again I've never really seen a solid booster that was left with natural colors.[/quote']

They're steel casings, so you wouldn't want to leave them exposed to the environment, they're boosters so a bit of extra dry mass makes minimal difference to payload, and they're smooth so they're much easier to paint than the rough spray-on insulation.

[_Augustus_]

It looks way cooler in orange, also this way dumb uneducated-in-space-stuff people won't confuzzle it with the Saturn V.

[NovaSilisko]

Anyway, it's good to see it in its true colors now.

I will henceforth be referring to it as Carrot.

[okan170]

Same foam used on Japan's H-2/2A/2B series.

They're steel casings, so you wouldn't want to leave them exposed to the environment, they're boosters so a bit of extra dry mass makes minimal difference to payload, and they're smooth so they're much easier to paint than the rough spray-on insulation.

They're also painted for thermal reasons. If Orbital-ATK's advanced boosters (Dark Knights) are chosen they would still be painted white.

[LordFerret]

NASA's builds are starting to look more and more Kerbal ... which worries me.

[legoclone09]

Anyway, it's good to see it in its true colors now.

I will henceforth be referring to it as Carrot.

Space Launch Carrot!

[G'th]

Same foam used on Japan's H-2/2A/2B series.

They're steel casings, so you wouldn't want to leave them exposed to the environment, they're boosters so a bit of extra dry mass makes minimal difference to payload, and they're smooth so they're much easier to paint than the rough spray-on insulation.

I would think given their expendable use (During the Shuttle program that would make sense) now that it wouldn't matter too much. But then again, the Titan boosters were painted like that too so may be I'm underestimating how much the casings can degrade from leaving the factor to launch if left exposed.

I did more or less figure that the extra dry mass ultimately didn't matter for a booster like these, though.

[CalculusWarrior]

I will henceforth be referring to it as Carrot.

I cannot unsee that now. Gee, thanks, Nova

[Nothalogh]

Did you hear that? SLS is now a big orange tank.

I have to say I liked the white look, but I'm the familiarity of the orange design.

I see they've discovered how great Kerbodyne Mammoth engines are

[Sampa]

So NASA budget is getting smaller again, no money for white paint

It's not about budget, that is the problem. It is very much the,same reason nasa stopped painting the shuttle,et white. Weight. Paint does not have a lot of weight in small quantities. Maybe a gram at the most. But, for a,vehicle , the,size of the sls, it adds up!

[GeneCash]

I guess it doesn't really matter. Since it's only going to be powerpoint slides anyway, they can use whatever color they want.

I give it about 40% for one launch, 0% for a 2nd one.

Edit: Actually I'm probably being way optimistic.

[Kryten]

I guess it doesn't really matter. Since it's only going to be powerpoint slides anyway, they can use whatever color they want.

I give it about 40% for one launch, 0% for a 2nd one.

Edit: Actually I'm probably being way optimistic.

Do you want to do an actual bet, if you're that confident?