/sci/ - Science & Math

>>8542662

>Falcon Heavy can replace SLS for any useful mission.

FH max capacity: 54 metric tons
SLS Block 1 capacity: 70 metric tons
SLS Block 2 capacity: 130 metric tons

This means FH is not taking people to the Moon and not taking big probes into orbit. This is a major constraint.

>without being designed for or capable of serving as a habitat for long trips, like a Mars mission.

Orion can plug into a larger vehicle and be used as a command module, just like the Dragon or CST-100. This is desirable as it gives a wide variate of vehicles (ie a space station, space tug, moon base or martian transfer vehicle) a standard command deck.

Does anyone have any schematics on hand about what they build rockets out of these days?
Carbon-fiber?
Are we still using titanium?
What lightweight alloys?