The SLS seems a boondoggle if it's judged as a space exploration program. But the SLS is most likely a weapons production know-how maintenance program. As such,

The SLS seems a boondoggle if it's judged as a space exploration program. But the SLS is most likely a weapons production know-how maintenance program. As such, the only objective is to maintain a force of competent rocket engineers at a reasonable price (measured in billions, to be sure). Launching is not an objective, or not an essential one. Consider this: the US military procures between 100 and 200 Tomahawk missiles per year ([1] p 95). In the last 18 years it has fired in anger about 17 per year. During the 2003 Iraq invasion, it fired 800 in a month only. In a confrontation with a near peer it's likely that bigger missiles will be fired, and a production surge capability is needed. The SLS workforce may be called upon just for such an eventuality. [1] https://www.secnav.navy.mil/fmc/fmb/Documents/19pres/WPN_Book.pdf https://www.secnav.navy.mil/fmc/fmb/Documents/19pres/WPN_Boo...