spacetoday.net: NASA delays SLI review

Posted: Tue, Oct 22, 2002, 8:10 PM ET (0010 GMT)
Boeing SLI concept

NASA announced Monday that it has delayed a key milestone in the Space Launch Initiative as the agency works to revamp the program. NASA had scheduled a Systems Requirements Review (SRR) in November to determine the requirements for a second generation reusable launch vehicle (RLV) and whittle down the existing SLI RLV designs from 15 to 3. However, NASA notified companies that the SRR would be delayed indefinitely as the agency completes a reassessment of its overall Integrated Space Transportation Plan, as well as determining how to better incorporate cooperation with the Defense Department. The move was not unexpected, since it has been widely rumored that major changes in SLI are in progress that could drastically alter the effort to develop technologies for a future RLV.