Video: NASA Test-Fires Crucial New Stage of J-2X Rocket

"Listen here, baby. I ONLY WANT A BURNING DESIRE! Let me stand next to yo fire!"

This article just made my day; one day when I become an astronaut, I will leave Earth, possibly settling on Mars or just taking the ride to another Star on the next generations rocket after the STS is over with.

" Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." Albert Einstein

And yet scientists have no idea why the ozone is getting bigger? They are so sure everyone else is causing the problem. Do a read on how much the rocket and shuttle launches effect the upper atmosphere. It is surprising.

Still, I am with Starchild_1, I gladly take a ride to outer space and settle on Mars too.

Why not? Imagine having new land to start fresh on. Being able to build a new society. Being able to see that society thrive and grow in your lifetime. Maybe even something that technologically surpasses the long standing structures that harbor societies on Earth. It's the chance to be like the Pilgrims, only it won't take several generations to erect a 21st Century style city.

Still, it might take a while for that large one topping pizza to get delivered from the moon. But that's alright, we'll have Chipotle, or Chick-fil-A.

@Grunt - With all due respect, the problem is not that the ozone layer is getting bigger, but rather that the ozone present in that layer is being depleted by fluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, chlorine, and various other particles. Also, it is estimated that solid rocket emissions (which are the most harmful to the atmosphere) have depleted the ozone present in the atmosphere by less than 0.1%.

This kind of rocket is fueled by LOX and LH2 which produces water vapor, hydrogen peroxide, and ozone. While there are short term effects on the atmosphere in the area around the launch site that persist for only a few hours, the long term effects are negligible for this kind of rocket. The water vapor can act as a greenhouse gas (but barely), hydrogen peroxide reacts with sunlight and breaks into oxygen and water, and the only harm that comes from the ozone is in the lower atmosphere where it will react with oxygen ions and make more oxygen.

That being said, I did my research before I responded and I was surprised by how much effect the launches do have on the atmosphere. However, this particular rocket has negligible effects on the atmosphere when compared to industrial, automotive, residential, and volcanic emissions.

@Raim,
Yes thank you. I really meant to say, the OZONE HOLE!
Actually having ozone in the upper atmosphere is a good thing. Hole is bad.
One rocket launch is one thing. Multi world rocket launches do add up.

Still, I wish to blast off to outer space too. I just wish they get that rail gun going that is safe to launch humans and delegate electronics. Sudden immediate G force tends to put the human brain and its parts in a pudding state. Shock waves are never good for electronics, too.

Where are those alternate power systems to save our country from fossil fuels?

I want my high charge capacitive flux drive with faster than neutrinos augmented outpu!!!

Even an antigravity drive would be helpful too, sheesh!

Nasa is retarted, they think were all stupid and buy that the only way to space is burning a giant swimming pool full of gas to lift a skyscraper into space. If any creativity at all was used, they would launch a kevlar inflatable spaceship into space from another balloon at the point where air is no longer heavier than the hydrogen in the balloon.

Kevlar orbital inflatable space hotel. So what if the walls are 50 foot thick filled with thousands of compartments of hydrogen and the windows are accessible through long tunnels?I read here that a solar sail can reach 1/3 the speed of light.