As part of NASA's
Constellation Program, the Ares 5 is designed to launch large payloads to low
Earth orbit (LEO). There will not be an Astronaut on board the Ares V. It is
designed as an unmanned cargo launcher. The Area V, could boost 414,000 pounds
to low Earth orbit (LEO), and 157,000 pounds to the Moon. And besides space
cargo, the Ares 5, will also carry the Altair lunar lander, to Low Earth
Orbit.
For the initial blast-off the Ares V, will use two Solid rocket boosters (SRB), that are based on the rocket booster design, used in the Space Shuttle program, of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The boosters are also similar to the ones, designed to be used with the Ares I, and the Ares IX.
The final boost to a
near-Earth orbit, will be accomplished by the liquid rocket boosters aboard the
core stage. The core stage, consist of a large fuel tank, that will store liquid
oxygen and liquid hydrogen, with a cluster of six RS-68B liquid rocket boosters,
at the rear. These boosters are based on the J-2 rocket engines, use by the
Saturn V, to boost the Apollo spacecraft to orbit.
On Lunar trips, the earth
departure stage and the lander, will dock with the Orion (CEV),
for the final trip to the Moon. Once headed toward the Moon, the earth departure
stage will be discarded, while the astronauts continue, on their way to Lunar
Orbit.
