Moon Rockets: Saturn V vs. Ares V

Here we are, about 4 decades later, making a new moon rocket.

The original, the astounding Saturn V, survives in film, in memory and at a few museums. The new vehicle (Ares) is getting ready—in a smaller version—for its first test flight later this year.

Both are designed to take people to the moon. How do they compare?

Ares V: Bigger, more powerful…and not yet built or flown

The Saturn V was 363 feet tall (with the Apollo spacecraft on top) and had a diameter of 33 feet. Ares V will be taller, at 383 feet, but will share the same 33 foot diameter. Thus, Ares V appears somewhat thinner.

The Saturn V was a liquid propellent vehicle. The Ares uses both liquid propellant AND (perhaps) more dangerous solid propellant boosters—similar to the Shuttles. I have some misgivings about using the solid propellant boosters—like those that destroyed the Challenger. But one Shuttle astronaut told me that, due to long years of experiences with them, he feels that they NASA can now operate them fairly safely…insofar as spaceflight can ever be considered safe.

Different vehicle, same launch site

The launch site for both rockets is the same: launch complex 39 at Kennedy Space Center.

The lift capacity of the Ares V outperforms the Saturn V by a large margin. Ares can take 410,000 pounds into low earth orbit; the Saturn V carried 260,000 pounds. And, the Saturn V could send a payload of 100,000 pounds to the moon; Ares will carry 157,000 pounds.

Destination: Mars

Unlike the Saturn V, the Ares V may play a role in manned travel to Mars. But, since we’ve never gone beyond earth orbit since 1972, manned travel to Mars seems very, very far away.