Last week, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine made an announcement that shocked the space world. He said the first mission for NASA’s new flagship mega-rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), might be given to private companies instead. And if this comes to pass, it could signal a huge about-turn from NASA, with equally huge implications for the future of spaceflight. A European-built service module will provide the propulsion and life support for the mission, and future Orion missions. The most likely seems to be a combined launch of both a Falcon Heavy and a Delta IV Heavy rocket.

Source: Forbes March 17, 2019 19:41 UTC