Ares V: Application to Solar System Scientific Exploration

Paper number

IAC-08.D2.8.3

Author

Mr. John Elliott, Jet Propulsion Laboratory / CalTech, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Thomas.R. Spilker, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Kim Reh, Jet Propulsion Laboratory / CalTech, United States

Year

2008

Abstract

While the primary use envisioned for Ares V is to deliver large-scale cargo to the moon and supply needed staples to sustain a human presence beyond Earth orbit including Mars, the NASA administrator has asked what new science opportunities would be enabled by the capability of the Ares V launch vehicle. The general approach to addressing this question includes an estimate of vehicle performance over a wide range of C3s (hyperbolic excess speed over escape, squared) and an examination of science missions that would be enabled by the increased capability of the Ares V.
Preliminary performance assessments indicate that Ares V could deliver 5 times the payload to Mars as compared to the most capable US launch vehicle available today, the Delta IV Heavy (Delta IV H). Beyond Mars, the outer planets offer a number of high-priority investigations with compelling science as identified in the National Research Council (NRC) Decadal survey and Solar System Exploration Roadmap. Presently, missions to these destinations are only achievable using indirect flights with gravity assist trajectories and, in many cases, suffer from long flight times. An Ares V with an upper stage could capture these missions using direct flights with shorter interplanetary transfer times that would enable extensive in situ investigations and possibly the return of samples to Earth.
This paper lays out an estimate of Ares V performance for moderate and high C3 missions, and goes on to discuss a range of revolutionary mission concepts that could be enabled by this significant increase in launch capability.

Abstract document

IAC-08.D2.8.3.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.D2.8.3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.