Bigger May Be Better For Science

The giant Ares 5 launcher is being built to lift cargo and spaceships to the Moon during the Constellation lunar base program. Later, it would also launch the ships that would take humans to Mars. The science communuty, however, is excited about having the new rocket for other reasons.

The Ares 5, at 381 feet, will be taller than the mighty Saturn V. It will also be able to launch huge payloads, or smaller payloads at much higher speeds. Those abilities have scientists envisioning space telescopes that dwarf Hubble, extremely complex-- and therefore heavy-- planetary probes, and missions to the outer planets able to take more direct routes, thus cutting years off the missions.

Having a role beyond Constellation, of course, makes it more likely the Ares 5 will actually be built. That multipurpose plan would also bring economics into play. Building several per year over several years, as opposed to only those needed for Constellation, should lower the unit costs.