Ares 4?!

[baktothemoon]

Have you heard of this? I never did, supposably NASA wants to make a Saturn V/Shuttle hybrid that would be capable of launching an Orion capsule into lunar orbit Apollo 8 style, allowing potential rescue missions. The thing is as tall as a Saturn V, has the bottom half of an Ares V, and the top of an Ares I. They are looking at it so that they can make common facilities between this and the Ares V, then not make the Ares I entirely. <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ares_IV<br /><br />What do you think?

 

[christine16]

we ll see if you right after 6 years

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">it was a paper study to see if there was a better, cheaper way to do things.</font>/i><br /><br />If memory serves me correctly (and I have my doubts here), some associated the study with the difficulty ATK was having in effectively extending the solid rocket motors to a fifth segment for the Ares I. With the Ares IV, you do away with the Ares I (and the Ares V). Furthermore, having only one vehicle (Ares IV) instead of two (Ares I and V) might lead to more efficient production and operations.</i>

 

[baktothemoon]

I like the idea behind the Ares IV but I would still hang onto V. I would still like to have a cargo launcher that you wouldn't have to approve for manned flight, and that could launch massive payloads into LEO.

 

[j05h]

<i>> I like the idea behind the Ares IV but I would still hang onto V. I would still like to have a cargo launcher that you wouldn't have to approve for manned flight, and that could launch massive payloads into LEO.</i><br /><br />Why bother with the ARES V when you could join the cores in 2, 3 or more unit clusters? You could have a first stage of 5 cores launching a second stage consisting of a single core and massive payload. 8) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[jimfromnsf]

There is no requirement for "massive" payloads. The current infrastructure couldn't handle clusters of ET sized cores.

 

[docm]

Best use for Ares IV is as a replacement for Ares I, especially so if they can't get Orion significantly below 10,000 kg. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[docm]

Stated by NASA out of one side of their mouth while the other confirms that even the 5 segment would have trouble lifting that brick. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>