Will Apple's iWatch introduce the age of wearable technology?

A series of reports this week in the United States have all-but confirmed that Apple is developing a smart watch as it seeks to repeat its trick with the iPhone and iPad and spur a new market, writes Christopher Williams.

The details of the device are sketchy, but it is claimed its features could include a curved touchscreen made from a new type of flexible glass, an array of sensors to monitor exercise patterns and heart rate, “wave and pay” function, access to maps, voice control and wireless integration with the iPhone. That could allow the wearer to take calls and read messages without having to delve into their pocket or bag, or mean the iphone would know when it was in its owner’s hand an unlock automatically.

Apple reportedly has a team of 100 product designers working on the project, indicating it is beyond the experimentation phase and heading towards production.It is claimed that Foxconn, the contractor that assembles iPhones and iPads in vast Chinese factory complexes, is in talks with Apple about the device, as well as working with component suppliers on efficient microchips and displays.

Although he has insisted Apple will maintain its ironclad secrecy, the flurry of information could be seen as auspicious for Tim Cook, Steve Jobs’ successor as Apple chief executive. He is under pressure from investors to address sliding profit margins and stock prices. With the iPhone and iPad under facing ever-stronger competition and the iPod market dwindling, opening a new front could be the answer.

For some observers, the reports of an incoming “iWatch” from sources including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg are a sign that the age of “wearable technology” is nigh. Just as smartphones and tablets already existed but were relatively niche products before Apple intervened, it’s reckoned by some that the firm’s flair for design will kick start a whole new category for gadget industry.

“Most of all, an Apple iWatch will immediately make the behaviour of wearing your tech acceptable, just like Siri created a new social norm of talking to your phone like it’s a person,” said Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst at Forrester.

Apple Watch(iWATCH): What's So Great About Sapphire?

From alerting you to an incoming call to monitoring your heart rate, the newly unveiled Apple Watch is being promoted as the next great high-tech tool for gadget lovers and fitness fans. But two of the smartwatch's most practical features — its sapphire screen and lenses — aren't all that technologically advanced.
Not to be confused with the sapphire gemstones you might find at a jewelry shop, the synthetic sapphire used on the Apple Watch is a very basic substance — the crystalized form of aluminum oxide.
"If you take aluminum metal and allow it to sit outside, it starts to oxidize. This material, when grown as a single crystal, is intrinsically transparent," said Harry Tuller, a professor of ceramics and electronic materials at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Its crystal-clear transparency makes sapphire ideal for display screens. The same can be said about its hardness, which, Tuller said, is second only to diamond. When it comes to sapphire's use in gadgets, hardness is definitely a good thing, because the harder a material is, the more difficult it is to scratch or crack, Tuller told Live Science.
Sapphire's hardness allegedly means that Apple Watch wearers can drop the watch and bump their wrists against things quite a bit without severely damaging the device. And that would likely not be the case if the smartwatch's display were made of Gorilla Glass, the material developed by New York-based manufacturer Corning that has been used in the display screens for most of Apple's other devices.
"The attractive thing about glass is that it's transparent and inexpensive," Tuller told Live Science. "But it's much, much less hard than sapphire."
Gorilla Glass isn't an inferior product, however. The chemically infused glass is much more durable than normal glass, and as iPhone users may have noticed, it stands up fairly well to scratching and even hard knocks. However, compared with sapphire, Gorilla Glass isn't all that durable, Tuller said.
Sapphire is more expensive to make than chemically treated glass, but for Apple, the material's price seems to be something of a selling point, according to Tuller, who added that sapphire has long been used in the face coverings for expensive watches.
"Apple always wants something more elegant, more attractive, more valuable," Tuller said. "[The Apple Watch] is not just a throwaway thing, and this is obviously one way of distinguishing themselves from their competitors."
In addition to its sapphire display, Apple Watch's sensors will feature lenses made of sapphire, the company announced this week. These sensors are located on the backside of the watch and will reportedly use infrared and visible-light LEDs to detect the wearer's heart rate.

Best smartphones of the world : the ten best mobiles

Available now: the top 10

1) Apple iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S features Apple's new A7 chip, making it "the world’s first smartphone", according to Apple, with a 64-bit processor for blazing fast performance. It includes an 8-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash and Touch ID, a new way to unlock your phone with just the touch of a finger. iPhone 5S comes with iOS 7, the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone, and new features such as Control Center, Notification Center, improved Multitasking, AirDrop, enhanced Photos, Safari, Siri and iTunes Radio. It also includes the new M7 motion coprocessor that gathers data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass to offload work from the A7 for improved power efficiency. iPhone 5S is available in three metallic finishes including gold, silver and Space Grey.

Screen: 4" 1136x640, Processor: A7, Storage: 16 / 32 / 64GB, Camera:8MP, 1080p, Dimensions: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm Weight:158g

2) Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung’s explicit aim for the Galaxy S5 has been to improve on the S4, rather than to revolutionise it. The features such as the camera, the battery life and durability matter above all else, the company believes. It feels better in the hand, it now allows you to take photographs and adjust the focus afterwards, and it can add WiFi to 4G to produce ultrafast network speeds. It offers improved 'HDR' pictures and better video quality, displayed on an improved screen. And thanks to a fingerprint scanner you can now use your fingerprint to pay for online shopping via PayPal. It heralds, like Apple's own more limited fingerprint services, the end of the password.

Screen: 5.1" screen Full HD Super Amoled Processor: Quad Krait 2.5GHz processor Storage: 16GB Camera: 16MP Dimensions: 142 x 72.5 x 81. mm Weight: 145g

3) Apple iPhone 5C

The iPhone 5C has a plastic body with a steel reinforced frame and comes in five colours—blue, green, pink, yellow and white. It has a 4-inch Retina display, an 8 megapixel iSight camera and runs on the A6 chip. iPhone 5C comes with more 4G LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world, according to Apple, as well as a new FaceTime HD camera, and iOS 7, the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone. The iPhone offers 10 hours of talk time on 3G networks, up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi and LTE networks and up to 8 hours on 3G networks, and up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback. iOS 7 has many new features, including Control Center, Notification Center, improved Multitasking, AirDrop, enhanced Photos, Safari, Siri and iTunes Radio. iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote are also available as free downloads.

Screen: 4" 1136x640, Processor: A6, Storage: 16 / 32GB; Camera:8MP, 1080p, Dimensions: 124.4 x 59.2 x 8.97 mm, Weight:132g

4) LG G3

The G3 is the successor to the much-praised G2, whose strength lay in large part in its battery life. Sadly, that’s the one feature that’s been sacrificed in this new model, with a screen that LG claims is as good as the best art books now presumably responsible for battery life that meant it performed, for me, almost exactly as poorly as Samsung and HTC. The G3 does at least come with a removable battery so it can be swapped over if there’s not time to recharge in the early afternoon. That’s a real let down, not because the ultra HD screen isn’t great, but because in a world where there’s precious little to play on it yet, except the material you record on the G3 yourself, many users would value battery life more highly. There’s plenty to like, and many signs that LG is continuing to offer a superb option in a very crowded market.

Screen: 5.5" Processor: Qualcomm MSM8975AC Snapdragon 801Storage: 16GB, 2GB RAM / 32 GB, 3GB RAM, MicroSD up to 128GBCamera: 13MP/2.1MP Dimensions: 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm Weight: 149g

5) HTC One (M8)

The new HTC One features an all-metal design and an improved camera that the Taiwanese manufacturer hopes will allow it to recapture its glory days of 2010, when its Desire handset helped it capture almost a quarter of the American market.
The new handset includes a 5” screen, an improved processor and updated software that the company claims allows the device to second-guess what function a user will want next, for instance answering a call if a ringing phone is put to a user’s ear. Improvements to the camera allow the refocusing of pictures after they have been taken and improved speakers will encourage the use of the phone for media playback.

Screen: 5" Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, 2.3GHz Storage:16/32GB Camera: 4.1 'Ultrapixels' Dimensions: 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35mmWeight: 160g

6) Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Galaxy Note 3 is, as the name implies, Samsung's third generation of a product that attempts to make pen and paper redundant – I really liked the Note 2, and the Note 3 is even better. What the new model adds is a good number of particularly useful new ideas: S Note, the notetaking programme is now accompanied by ‘Action Memo’. Perhaps most useful is Pen Window, which allows you to draw a rectangle whatever size you want and then have another programme running in it. On one level the Galaxy Note 3 is simply an iterative improvement over the existing, excellent models – but those improvements are pretty substantial leaps.

Screen: 5.7”, 1080x1920; Processor: 1.6GHz quadcore; Storage:16/32/64GB, MicroSD; Camera: 13MP, 1080p; Dimensions: 151 x 79 x 8.3 mm Weight: 168g

7) Motorola Moto X

At first glance, the Motorola Moto X and Moto G look almost identical. They are similar in size – the Moto G is 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6mm, while the Moto X is 129.3 x 65.3 x 10.4mm – and they both feature Corning Gorilla Glass and a curved plastic back. The power and volume buttons are on the right hand side, the headphone jack on the top and the power port on the bottom.
The Moto X is slightly slimmer and noticeably lighter than the Moto G, making it more comfortable in the hand. It also has a larger a 4.7-inch AMOLED display, compared to the 4.5-inch LCD display on the Moto G, although both have the same 1280 x 720 resolution.
However, the success of the Moto G hinges on its price-to-specification ratio. For £135, it really stands out from the crowd. The Moto X is a lovely smartphone, but I'm not sure it stands out quite as much against its competitors in this price bracket.

Screen: 4.7" AMOLED Processor: Qualcomm MSM8960Pro Snapdragon Storage: 16/32GB Camera: 10MP Dimensions: 129.3 x 65.3 x 10.4mm Weight: 130g

8) Google Nexus 5

You don’t need to be an expert to see the problems facing Google’s Android operating system: on the cheap phones where it is almost totally dominant, old versions of the software make smartphones feel painfully unsophisticated. And on new versions used by top handsets such as the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4, manufacturers are keen to squeeze out Google, differentiating their products by adding unique features.
The underlying impression is that with the Nexus 5 Google is producing yet another smartphone that proves a point: its software can not only power premium devices sold for a decent price, but it can also lead the way with innovative ideas that will come to fruition in the future and probably in devices made by others. At this price, that sort of innovation is easy to get excited about.

Screen: 4.95-inch Full HD IPS (1920×1080, 445ppi), Gorilla Glass 3Processor: Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 Storage: 16/32GBCamera: 8MP rear facing with Optical Image Stabilization (1.3MP front)Dimensions: 69.17 x 137.84 x 8.59mm Weight: 130g

9) Nokia Lumia 1520

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better screen than that on the Nokia Lumia 1520 smartphone. And if all the main operating systems were starting with no apps and zero momentum, I’m not sure I’ve seen a better operating system than the latest version of Windows Phone. Add to that Nokia’s famous build quality and the 1520 ought surely to be the top large-screen mobile on the market.

Screen: 6 '' (1920 x 1080) Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad-core 2.2 GHz Storage: In device, Memory card, SkyDrive cloud storageRAM: 2 GB Mass memory: 32 GB Dimensions: 162.8 x 85.4 x 8.7mmWeight: 209g

10) Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

One of the most striking trends in smartphone design is the push towards ever-larger screen sizes. Not only has average screen size increased steadily since 2008, the so-called 'phablet' market is poised to explode.
However, large screens are not to everyone's taste, and although most smartphone manufacturers are embracing the larger phone concept, several have also launched 'mini' versions of their flagship devices – including Samsung with its Galaxy S4 Mini and HTC with its One Mini.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Xperia Z1 Compact. It is a stylish device, with a high-end feel and excellent specifications. The black handset that I tested was a little masculine for my tastes, but Sony also offers the device in yellow, white and pink. I was also impressed with the battery life.

Screen: 4.3" Processor: Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800Storage: 16GB Camera: 20.7MP Dimensions: 127 x 64.9 x 9.5mmWeight: 137g

And the best of the rest...

Sony Xperia Z1

Running Android 4.2, the Z1 was announced by Sony at the IFA electronics fair in Berlin and is expected to be picked up by a range of major carriers in the UK, including EE who will offer their ‘double-speed’ 4G service on the device for £41 per month plus £29.99 up front. It also features a 3,000mAh battery and 14GB of internal memory, with a quad core 2.2GHz processor. The new device continues Sony’s aim to improve its smartphone line-up, and is the first mainstream such device to feature a 21-megapixel camera.

Screen: 5” 1920x1080, Processor: 2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8974 Quad Core, Storage: Up to 16GB, 2GB RAM, Camera: 20.7MP with Sony Exmor RS, Dimensions: 144.4 x 73.9 x 8.5 mm Weight:169g

Compare the best Sony Xperia Z1 deals

Samsung Galaxy S4

There’s a 13MP camera and a 5” screen packed into a smaller, lighter, thinner body than the S3, and there’s new eye-tracking technology that simply means you have to tilt your head to scroll on the screen. It’s not perfect but it works. Hovering your finger above a photo or email lets you preview more of it, which works rather more consistently. And there are health features that track how far you’ve walked, a built-in remote control and a deal to print out your photographs. Just in case you feel the need, you can now even take pictures with both the front and the rear cameras at the same time. It packs more screen into the hand than has ever been possible before, and that 5” display offers more pixels per inch than any previous device, and more than the eye can see anyway. It’s compelling in a way that is becoming standard on top of the range mobiles, regardless of the specifications. I think Samsung’s design is excellent, and focusing purely on plastic is to value style over the substance of features, camera, battery life and more.

Screen: 5” Full HD Processor: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 Storage: 2GB RAM; 16/32/64GB + microSD Camera: 13MP (rear); 2MP (front)Dimensions: 69.8 x 136.6 x 7.9mm Weight:130g

HTC One

The latest phone from struggling giant HTC is in a sense a return to form – the new camera is dubbed ultrapixel because of its remarkable low-light performance, and called Zoe after the zoetrope. There’s also a new interface that adds to Android and seeks to aggregate all your social media and news feeds into a single place, great sound and a screen as good as the Xperia Z. HTC knows that much of this is to try to fill idle moments when you’d be fiddling with your phone anyway but the effect is to nudge towards a very different kind of feel for software. It’s user-friendly and design-wise there’s also a lot to like in the solid aluminium unibody construction and a lovely screen. HTC deserves to do well with this device, and may yet recapture its glory days.

Screen: 4.7”, 1920x1080; Processor: 1.7GHz quadcore; Storage:16/32GB; Camera: 4MP Ultrapixel, 2688x1520; Dimensions: 137 x 68 x 9.3 mm Weight:143g

The HTC One Mini is now also available, sporting a slower processor, a 1.4Ghz dual core, less storage at just 16GB and a lower resolution display. But it retains Blinkfeed, the social aggregator that combines all your news and social feeds into one place, the Boomsound speakers, and the ultrapixel camera that takes really excellent photographs, particularly in low light, and offers the ‘Zoe’ mini films. Samsung has cut back more features for its equivalent device, the S4 Mini.

Screen: 4.3”, 1280x720; Processor: 1.4 GHz dual-core Snapdragon;Storage: 16GB; Camera: 8MP, 1080p; Dimensions: 132 x 63.2 x 9.3mmWeight:122g

Motorola Moto G

The Moto G is a solidly built plastic phone with a 4.5” screen, running the latest version of Android to be in any sort of widespread circulation. So far, so unexciting if you’re in the market for a Galaxy S4 or an HTC One. But the Moto G is £135: compared to its rivals at that price, it’s in another league. It would be easy to say the Moto G is not a device to excite geeks: that would be wrong. This is a phone that shows the potential for technology to get better and cheaper. And it’s also the phone to recommend to everyone on a budget, or to anyone who wants to enter the smartphone world for the first time.

Screen: 4.5-inch display, 1280 x 720 LCD screen, 329ppi Processor:quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Storage: 8 / 16GBCamera: 5MP Dimensions: 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6mm Weight: 143g

Nokia Lumia 925

Nokia has a new flagship, and the Lumia 925 comes just six months after the Lumia 920. Where its predecessor was defined by its heaviness, this new model is surprisingly light.Part of that is down to a surprising polycarbonate back, which feels both pleasingly tactile and anything but flagship, compared to the metal and glass designs of Apple, HTC and even Huawei. It also provides a two-tone back, which some people will love and many will likely not. Nonetheless, with a slightly square design, the 925 feels premium overall, and benefits from the luxurious look of Windows Phone. A 1.4GHz Snapdrogon processor provides enough oomph, while a 2,000mAh is the usual, disappointing level that means you need to plug it in mid-afternoon, and there’s no SD card either. But a 4.5” display with a 1280x768 display is impressive, there’s now an FM radio and, as usual, Nokia’s emphasis on camera performance

Screen: 4.5”, 1280x768; Processor: 1.5GHz dualcore; Storage: 16GB;Camera: 8.7MP, 1080p; Dimensions: 129 x 70.6 x 8.5mm, Weight:139g

Huawei Ascend P6

Huawei’s Ascend P6 is a remarkable device – at just 6.18mm thin it turns heads in a way that no other phone in its £21-5 per month price range can. Made entirely of glass and steel, there’s distinctly something of the iPhone 4 or 4S about it, with a black edge on a silver frame. If Apple was cross at Samsung’s approach to design, it’s hard to see the iPad-maker being completely sanguine about the P6. And yet perhaps it is Samsung who should be worried: Huawei, a giant of Chinese manufacturing and behind much of the internet’s infrastructure, is trying to do to Samsung what Samsung itself once did to Apple. The P6 is a premium product, albeit only with 3G, at a cheaper price that Samsung’s own, and it uses a version of Android that is modified in a bid to make it easier to use. It features a quad-core processor and offers a better front-facing camera (5MP) than any other on the market. It is, for now at least, the world’s thinnest phone and it features clever design tricks such as a pin to make the extraction of the SD card or SIM card easier. None of this is revolutionary, but it is handy.

Screen: 4.7” 1280 X 720 Processor: 1.5GHz quad-core Storage: 8GB (4.7BG user available), 2 GB RAM Camera: 8 MP 3264 x 2448p Size:132.7 x 65.5 x 6.2mm Weight: 120g

Blackberry Q10

This is the first device from the manufacturer formerly known as RIM to use both the new version of its software, BB10, first seen on the Z10, and also to feature a physical keyboard.That means there are two huge advantages: its small screen drains the battery a little less and means it lasts longer; and the keyboard makes typing the BlackBerry way possible again. Both of these are hugely important to the target market of business people, and both are serious successes. So now there are all the advantages of a modern operating system, from easy web browsing, a growing library of apps and the famed BlackBerry email system. Plus there are the new ideas of the BlackBerry Hub, where all your emails and messages live in one place, and BlackBerry Balance, which easily separates Work and Personal life, even changing the screen colour to differentiate the two.

Screen: 3.1", 720×720 Processor: Dual core 1.5GHz processorStorage: 2GB RAM 16GB storage, expandable via microSD (supports up to 32GB cards) Processor: Dual core 1.5GHz processor Camera: 8MP (rear) 2MP (front) Dimensions: 119.6 x 66.8 x 10.4 mm Weight: 139g

Sony Xperia Z

Sony’s comeback phone is a top device – it’s got a gorgeous, HD screen and a waterproof design that makes a real, minimalist statement. It is big, with a 5” screen, and it feels big in the hand thanks to the square corners, but it is also positioned to capitalise on its size: that screen really comes into its own playing films, the 13MP camera looks almost as good as many standalone cameras and yet it all comes in a package less than 8mm thin. Add in Android apps that make Sony’s entertainment network useful and there’s a lot to like. It’s also got a decent range of accessories available, from cases by third parties to the excellent companion tablet, the Tablet Z.

Screen: 5”, 1920x1080; Processor: 1.5GHz quadcore; Storage: 16GB, MicroSD; Camera: 13.1MP, 1080p; Dimensions: 139x71x7.9mmWeight: 146g

Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia's handset places great emphasis on its photographic capabilities, boasting a second generation 41-megapixel sensor, and available in a choice of yellow, white or black. It claims to 'reinvent zoom, enabling people to discover more detail than the eye can see' due to its PureView technology. Deploying features such as optical image stabilisation, the device claims to be able to produce some of the sharpest images possible on any digital camera. A similar device, the Pureview 808, launched last year, but ran on the now defunct Symbian operating system. The Lumia 1020 includes a new application called Nokia Pro Camera, designed to make it easy for anyone to take professional quality images. Either before a picture is taken or after it has been shot, the user can see how the zoom capability and the chosen settings will affect the final photo or video. Another new feature is dual capture, which simultaneously takes a high resolution 38-megapixel image to set aside for editing, and creates a 5-megapixel picture to share to social networks via Windows Phone 8. The 1020 is expected to hit UK shelves from September.

Screen: 4.5” 1280X768 Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Storage:32GB, 2GB RAM, Free Cloud storage 7GB, Camera: 41 MP PureView,Dimensions: 130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4mm Weight: 158g

All prices vary by contract. 4G versions of the S3, Z10, iPhone 5, Note 2 and others are either available or due imminently.

Chinese director Jiang Wen launches latest movie

BEIJING (AP) — Hoping for maximum publicity, Chinese director Jiang Wen launched his latest movie at an event Monday — more than three months before it is due to open in cinemas.

"Gone With the Bullets" is a 3-D sequel to Jiang's 2010 political satire "Let the Bullets Fly," which featured a bandit posing as a mayor. It grossed $103 million in mainland China.

With an estimated budget of $20 million, "Gone With the Bullets" is set in 1920s Shanghai and revolves around a beauty pageant. Jiang is the first Chinese director to shoot a film with an IMAX 3-D digital camera, according to an IMAX press release.

Jiang was asked whether he wanted it to make more money than "Transformers: Age of Extinction," which became the biggest grossing film in China in July.

Jiang, who also acts in the film, said, "I definitely want to see a big box office for my movie and I want it as big as possible."

The launch event was also attended by actresses Shu Qi and Zhou Yun and actor Ge You.

NASA’s Space Launch System is officially all systems go for Mars and Moon landings

NASA’s Space Launch System, the USA’s first exploration-class spacecraft since the Space Shuttle, has officially passed the whiteboard formulation stage and moved into full-scale development. The SLS, which will be the most powerful rocket ever built, will allow NASA to land astronauts on Mars and captured asteroids, and perhaps other planets and moons throughout the Solar System as well. The first SLS mission should lift off no later than 2018, sending the Orion capsule around the Moon. Asteroid- and Mars-bound missions should follow a few years after that. The question is, will NASA be the first to send humans to Mars (probably no sooner than 2032) — or will a commercial company such as SpaceX get there much earlier?

NASA began the SLS’s design process way back in 2011. At the time, we knew the stated goal of the SLS – to try and re-use as many Space Shuttle components as possible, to get back into deep space as quickly and as cost effectively as possible — but we didn’t know exactly what form the SLS would take. Now that the formulation stage has been completed, and focus has shifted to actually developing and fabricating the launch system’s millions of constituent components, we have a very firm idea of what the SLS will be capable of, and thus what kind of missions NASA will task the SLS with.

A test-firing of the Space Shuttle Main Engine, which will be reused on the Space Launch System.The Space Launch System is broken up into blocks. Block I, the first and most simple design, consists of a core stage that’s lifted almost straight from the Space Shuttle: It has two Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SSRBs), and a first stage that’s fashioned out of a converted Space Shuttle External Tank (that big red cylinder thing — but on the SLS it’ll be painted white). Together with a modified Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (modified from the Delta IV), Block I will be able to lift around 70 metric tons (154,000 lbs) into low-Earth orbit. There is only expected to be one launch of the Block I variant. If all goes to plan, it will launch sometime in 2017 or 2018 and send an uncrewed Orion capsule on a circumlunar orbit around the dark side of the Moon.

The next variant of the SLS, Block IB, will use the same core stage as Block I — but instead of the modified Delta IV second stage, it’ll have the brand-new Exploration Upper Stage. The EUS has a lot of fuel and four RL10 rocket engines, boosting the total payload capacity to around 110 metric tons to LEO. Finally, at some point in the 2030s, Block II will arrive, which replaces the two SSRBs with new, “advanced boosters.” Block II will be capable of lifting around 155 metric tons to LEO.

The launch of the Apollo 11 mission, aboard Saturn V rocket SA-506. 34,020,000 newtons of thrust from five massive F-1 rocket engines that each burned around 3 tons of fuel per second. The Saturn V is still the most powerful space launch vehicle ever used.

Read featured story: The Space Shuttle legacy in pictures

By comparison, the Saturn V — which took NASA astronauts to the Moon — had a max LEO payload capacity of 118 metric tons, but it has long since been retired. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which is a much smaller and cheaper rocket than the SLS, will be able to put 55 metric tons into LEO. With the retirement of the Space Shuttle, there aren’t really any heavy lift launchers in operation: Ariane 5 (Arianespace) can only do 21 metric tons to LEO, while Delta IV (United Launch Alliance) can do 29 metric tons to LEO.

In short, NASA’s Space Launch System should be by far the most powerful operational rocket when it arrives in 2017-2018. SpaceX could decide to up-rate the Falcon Heavy, but I doubt it: With Falcon Heavy, SpaceX wants to compete with United Launch Alliance and Arianespace, which currently own the (incredibly lucrative) heavy lift market. A payload capacity of 55 tons is more than enough for that purpose. You only shoot for a capacity of 150 tons if you’re aiming at targets that are much farther than geostationary orbit — such as landing on the Moon or Mars or Europa.

A rendering of the Orion spacecraft

The SLS’s primary payload will be the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), though it will undoubtedly be used to send other large spacecraft into deep space. The Orion capsule is what NASA will use to land astronauts on the Moon, captured asteroids, Mars, and any other interesting lumps of rock throughout the Solar System. The first manned Orion launch, to a captured asteroid in lunar orbit, is scheduled to occur in 2021. Combined with SpaceX’s crewed Dragon spacecraft and Boeing’s CST-100, things are looking up for human space exploration!