NASA ARES LAUNCH

"Ares" was a family of proposed launch vehicles developed by NASA as part of the Constellation program, which aimed to return humans to the Moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars. The Ares family consisted of two main launch vehicles: Ares I and Ares V.Show more

Ares I: Ares I was designed as the crew launch vehicle for the Constellation program. Its primary purpose was to carry the Orion spacecraft, which would carry astronauts to low Earth orbit and eventually to the International Space Station (ISS). Ares I was intended to provide a safer and more reliable means of launching crewed missions into space.

Ares V: Ares V was a heavy-lift launch vehicle designed to carry larger payloads, such as lunar landers and cargo, into space. It was intended to support lunar missions and other deep-space exploration efforts. Ares V was part of NASA's plans to return humans to the Moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars.

However, the Constellation program, including the Ares launch vehicles, faced significant technical, budgetary, and scheduling challenges. As a result, in 2010, the program was canceled under the direction of the Obama administration, and NASA shifted its focus toward a new approach to human space exploration.

The Orion spacecraft, originally designed to be launched atop the Ares I rocket, continued its development and has since been integrated into the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon. Instead of the Ares launch vehicles, NASA has pursued partnerships with commercial space companies like SpaceX and Boeing to transport astronauts to the ISS as part of the Commercial Crew Program.

For the latest updates on NASA's launch vehicles and human spaceflight programs, including the Artemis program and the Space Launch System (SLS), it's advisable to visit NASA's official website or refer to recent news sources.