NASA's Space Launch System: A new national capability

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Space Launch System (SLS) will contribute a new national capability for human space flight and scientific missions to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and beyond. Exploration beyond Earth orbit will be an enduring legacy to future generations, confirming America's desire to explore, learn, and progress. The SLS Program, managed at NASA's Marshall Space Fight Center (MSFC), will develop the heavy lift vehicle that will launch the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), equipment, supplies, and science experiments for missions beyond Earth's orbit. This paper gives an overview of the SLS design and management approach against a backdrop of the missions that it will empower. It will detail the plan to move from the computerized drawing board to the launch pad in the near term, as well as summarize the innovative approaches that the SLS team is applying to deliver a safe, affordable, and sustainable long-range national capability.