Ares V to launch Multiple Orion Capsules

Could the Ares V be configured to launch multiple Orion capules at the
same time? Possibly Send 2-3 crews to Lunar Orbit Simutaneoulsy. Or
could multiple Altair Landers be delivered to orbit at the same time?

On Wed, 2 Jul 2008 19:43:14 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Could the Ares V be configured to launch multiple Orion capules at the
same time?

No, the current beast is already about at the height limit for the
VAB. You could probably put an Orion in place of the LSAM, but the
so-called Ares IV (an Ares V with an Ares I upper stage instead of the
EDS) would be a better choice for that. (But I think growth of Ares V
might make the Ares IV impossible now, yet another wonderful little
attribute of the Ares V+... big, expensive, and now completely
inflexible.)

Also, Orion won't be doing the Lunar Orbit Insertion burn, the LSAM
will. You'd have to modify the Orion to fly alone a'la Apollo 8,
probably hanging some external drop tanks off it or add an LOI stage
or something.

Brian

On Jul 2, 10:43 pm, " wrote:
Could the Ares V be configured to launch multiple Orion capules at the
same time? Possibly Send 2-3 crews to Lunar Orbit Simutaneoulsy. Or
could multiple Altair Landers be delivered to orbit at the same time?

no, because of the launch abort system interferences, pad mods,
mission control limitations* etc

* mission control could handle multiple spacecraft, just not launched
simultaneously