NASA studies unmanned Moon missions for Ares I launcher

摘要

NASA has concluded that a single Ares I crew launch vehicle could send a 454kg (1,0001b) payload to the Moon using a 1,750kg robotic lander. The US space agency has been examining unmanned missions for the Ares rocket, the primary mission for which is to launch the Orion crew exploration vehicle. An unmanned mission considered by NASA is delivering a communications satellite into lunar orbit and placing a sample return vehicle with its ascent craft on to the surface. "Utilising two Ares launches, with one launch delivering a liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen trans-lunar injection stage, a much larger payload of 4,121kg can be delivered [to the Moon's surface]," says the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center study's paper, submitted for the 59th International Astronautical Congress.