C3 Performance of the Ares-I Launch Vehicle and its Capabilities for Lunar and Interplanetary Science Missions

Paper number

IAC-08.D2.8.5

Author

Dr. Dan Thomas, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, United States

Year

2008

Abstract

H. Dan. Thomas, Charles L. Johnson, Reginald Alexander

Advanced Concepts Office, Mail Code ED-04

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812

 

    NASA's Ares-I launch vehicle will be built to deliver the Orion spacecraft to Low-Earth orbit, servicing the International Space Station with crew-transfer, and helping humans begin longer voyages in conjunction with the larger Ares-V.  While there are no planned missions for Ares-I beyond these, the vehicle itself offers an additional capability for robotic exploration.  Here we present an analysis of the capability of the Ares-I rocket for robotic missions to a variety of destinations, incluidng lunar and plantear exploration, should such missions become viable in the future.  Preliminary payload capabilities using both single and dual launch architectures are presented.  Masses delivered to the lunar surface are computed along with throw capabilities to various Earth departure energies (i.e. C3s).  The use of commercially available solid rocket motors as additional payload stages were analyzed and will also be discussed.

Abstract document

IAC-08.D2.8.5.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.D2.8.5.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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