The Space Launch System at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2022 NASA/Joel Kowsky
NASA’s enormous rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), seems to be in danger. It has been controversial for decades thanks to its high cost and many delays, but now there are hints that it may finally be on the chopping block. The trouble is, there aren’t any comparable alternatives – no other rockets can carry as much mass as SLS can into space – and the only operational backup is built by Elon Musk’s firm SpaceX. Given Musk’s current position embedded within the US…
