• Configuration
• Ares I-X
• Design Reference Mission

• Configuration
• Design Reference Mission

• Lunar Orbit Rendezvous

• Safety
• Practical and Affordable
• Common Hardware
• Heavy Lift Capability

• Ares I
• Ares I-X

• Ares IV
• DIRECT Launch
• FAQ

• News Articles
• Image Gallery

• Space Foundation
• Space Coalition
• The Planetary Society
• NASA

For more information regarding Exploration Launch Vehicles, contact: safesimplesoon@atk.com

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• Height: 184.2ft
• Gross Liftoff Mass: 4.5M lb
• 55k lbm to LEO
• Common Hardware: SRB

LEO — Low Earth Orbit
SRB — Solid Rocket Booster
TLI — Trans-Lunar Insertion

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• Height: 328ft
• Gross Liftoff Mass: 2.0M lb
• 52k lbm to LEO (effective)
• Common Hardware: SRB and J-2X Engine

LEO — Low Earth Orbit
SRB — Solid Rocket Booster
TLI — Trans-Lunar Insertion

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• Height: 362ft
• Gross Liftoff Mass: 7.3M lb
• 119k lbm to TLI
• 133-144k lbm to TLI in Dual-Launch Mode With Ares I
• Approk 300k lbm to LEO
• Common Hardware: SRB and J-2X Engine

LEO — Low Earth Orbit
SRB — Solid Rocket Booster
TLI — Trans-Lunar Insertion

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• Height: 364ft
• Gross Liftoff Mass: 6.5M lb
• 99k lbm to TLI
• 262k lbm to LEO
• Common Hardware: J-2 Engine

LEO — Low Earth Orbit
SRB — Solid Rocket Booster
TLI — Trans-Lunar Insertion

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The safest, most reliable and most affordable means of meeting crew requirements is a system derived from Space Shuttle components.

This approach capitalizes on human rated systems and facilities and provides the most straightforward growth path to later exploration launch needs.

Ares I will serve as the dedicated crew launch vehicle utilizing a safe, proven system for transferring man from Earth to orbit.

Ares V will be the workhorse for the Constellation Program putting up the large payloads necessary for missions that reach beyond Earth orbit.

Together, these two vehicles combine to provide America a practical, affordable, and achievable means to realize missions to the Moon and Mars.

 

 

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Our nation's bold plan for renewing America's commitment to the human exploration of space will require a safe, reliable launch system that is equal to the vision.

The launch system must be capable of transferring humans and cargo to low Earth orbit at minimum cost and maximum reliability, while providing astronauts the greatest margins of safety.

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