Ares V

Ares V
	Artist's impression of an Ares V during solid rocket booster separation
Function	Cargo Launch Vehicle
Country of origin	United States
Size
Height	116 m (381 ft) or 109 m (358 ft)
Diameter	10 m (33 ft) or 8.4 m (28 ft)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO	188,000 kg (414,000 lb)
Payload to TLI	71,100 kg (156,700 lb) or 60,600 kg (133,600 lb)
Launch history
Status	Canceled
Launch sites	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B
Boosters – 5- or 5.5-segment Shuttle-derived SRB
Engines	1 solid
Fuel	APCP (solid)
First stage
Engines	5 or 6 RS-68B or 5 SSME (RS-25)
Thrust	8,350 kN (1,880,000 lbf) or 10,350 kN (2,330,000 lbf) upper atmosphere (figures for RS-25)
Fuel	LH2/LOX
Second stage – Earth Departure Stage
Engines	1 or 2 J-2X
Fuel	LH2/LOX

The Ares V was a plan to create a cargo rocket for the cancelled Constellation program. Ares V was planned to launch the Earth Departure Stage and Altair lunar lander for a plan to return to the Moon in 2019. ^[3] The Ares V was supposed to complement the Ares I, which was being designed as a crew launch vehicle. The Ares designs were selected for their anticipated overall safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness.^[4]

The Ares V was planned to be able to carry about 188,000 kilograms (414,000 pounds) to Low Earth orbit (LEO), and 71,000 kilograms (157,000 pounds) to the Moon.^[2] Upon completion the Ares V was planned to be the most powerful rocket ever built, lifting more into orbit than even the Saturn V.^[5] Ares V, Ares IV, and Ares I are named after Ares, the Greek god, which is the equivalent to the Roman god Mars.