Ares I
Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars. Ares I was originally known as the "Crew Launch Vehicle" (CLV).
Ares I launch | |
| Function | Human-rated orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Alliant Techsystems (Stage I) Boeing (Stage II) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Project cost | at least US$ 6 billion |
| Size | |
| Height | 94 meters (308 ft) |
| Diameter | 5.5 meters (18 ft) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 25,400 kg (56,000 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Followed by Liberty, would have complemented the cargo Ares V |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Cancelled as of October 2010 |
| Launch sites | would have launched from Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B |
| Total launches | 1 (prototype) |
| First flight | October 2009 (Prototype) |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 15,000 kN (3,400,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | ≈150 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1 J-2X |
| Maximum thrust | 1,308 kN (294,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | ≈800 seconds |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
NASA planned to use Ares I to launch Orion, the spacecraft intended for NASA human spaceflight missions after the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011. Ares I was to complement the larger, uncrewed Ares V, which was the cargo launch vehicle for Constellation. NASA selected the Ares designs for their anticipated overall safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness. However, the Constellation program, including Ares I, was cancelled by U.S. president Barack Obama in October 2010 with the passage of his 2010 NASA authorization bill. In September 2011, NASA detailed the Space Launch System as its new vehicle for human exploration beyond Earth's orbit.