/sci/ - Science & Math

Hey /SFG/. I’m thinking of writing a short story collection set in an alternate timeline where the loss of Challenger leads NASA to develop an in line cargo launcher for the DoD like pic related. Eventually in the mid 90s NASA is given the green light to upload it from “Fat Titan IV” into a heavy lifter like SLS was supposed to be, except with STME engines instead of RS-25’s so it’s cheaper, and plus all the hard parts of redesigning the tank are already done. Anyways NASA returns to the moon in 2009 and it’s cool.

I want to end it in an alternate 2012, with the maiden launch of the “Falcon 7” from the company “Space Exploration Technologies”, and then end it there.

Also if anyone is curious pic related is one design for the “Jarvis” rocket. This version took a space shuttle core and placed a payload on top. It used a single Space Shuttle engine, but it was decided that throwing away 1 SSME was cheaper than reusing 3 (lol). This vehicle was apparently cheaper to fly than the Titan IV because, but lost the DoD competition.