It's about time. About time to return to our destiny, to make our way into space. It's about time, to inspire America again. It's about time be put a man back in space.

Since I was a child my dreams have always been about space exploration, but over the last few years that dream has faded from the eye of many of piers. I am glad to see NASA working towards what man is destined to do, move beyond Earth, beyond a single planet and into space.

The space shuttle was a step forward this is one step back but at lest we are doing some thing. We are never going to leave this planet and go in to space If we don't work together and do some thing much could be done if this happens a united earth just think of what we could do if we all would just stop the petty fighting and bickering. Because in the end we are all human no matter what color skin or religious back ground. People need to come together because once we start leaving this planet who knows whats out there for us.

Isn't Ares the god of War? Does this imply not just a vehicle for the space race but a vehicle for a weapon of mass destruction? Conspiracy theorist unite!!

It's about time we get back to something that looks like a kick ass rocket ship and not that "plymouth voyager" looking space shuttle. Now all it needs is some chrome and candyapple red paint and all the chicks'll want a ride. Don't forget the flowmasters!

Hellfist, the shuttle was 20+ years of stagnation, not a step forward. In fact, it was actually a step back, since the shuttle is completely incapable of leaving Earth orbit, making it no better than the old Mercury program, other than its ability to carry cargo.

Ares is actually a "giant leap" forward as it means we now, for the first time in over 30 years, have a manned vehicle that is not only capable of taking men and equipment into orbit, but can also propel them to the moon and beyond. That is real progress, unlike that antique school bus with wings called the Shuttle.

why another rocket??? virgin galactic and other private company's are going the reusable shuttle route.... why another one use money burner?

Because without a rocket, you cannot leave Earth orbit. Virgin Galactic and those other companies are just looking at achieving orbital or sub-orbital flight, they cannot break free from Earth's gravity and visit the moon or other worlds. To do that, you (currently) need a massive rocket engine to provide the necessary thrust, hence Ares

there are some pretty cool advancements when it comes space travel and NASA isnt all that bright... the days of the moon landings have passed and their track records are not really all that great when it comes to flying up there. but dont get me wrong i love NASA they do science like none other, they just shouldn't be allowed to drive. take the fact that they want to have a rocket to get the hell out of our orbit, but 99.999999% of all missions (they go up there every week or so like clock work) are orbital, better to have a reusable orbital device than too blow all that money away with a one time tube of cash. and as for leaving the planets orbit. not all that difficult when your up there already a few changes in the space shuttle design and it could orbit the moon drop off cargo and come back.

The shuttle was supposed to fly with a 2-week turnaround time between flights (what it was originally sold on - and ow-cost) - but we got a system built to meet both military and exploratory needs and really does not do either that well. Sure, it is an amazing machine, but the solid and proved Saturn series of boosters did far more - Very heavy lift (Skylab), LEO missions( S1B - Apollo 7, Skylab 1-3, and Apollo-Soyuz), and of course, the lunar missions. Imagine if as a nation we had the commitment to long range development and planning for exploration and utilization we should have had, instead of everything being political whim, uprated Saturns could still be flying ala the venerable Russian Soyuz system. We could easily have had a the ISS many years ago, lunar developments, and very likely even have explored Mars by the late 80s or early 90s. Who knows how much further our technology could have been pushed with this as well and what that would have translated into for the country's economy. So, now we try to take a step back and erase the mistakes of the past with a new booster derived from the shuttle SRBs and new capsule/service module - something we already had, but do need again. What we need is something energizing for space exploration and development. Many talk about the Virgin Galactic stuff - suborbital - honestly not that bid a deal. Fun, yes, but not a step forward. If anyone on the commercial side has the right idea, I believe it lies with Bigelow and the Sundancer and BA-330 modules they are prototyping. Inflatable habitats and connectors for stacking modules to build a less expensive and larger space station were real development and research can be done - because we need commercial development to help bolster the exploratory side of things. If nothing else, we can at least look forward to Bigelow launching their first manned habitat in 2011 and possibly getting it crewed a year or so later. That would be a great step for the commercial use of space. Returning to the moon, with the way the new administration is ripping NASA to shreds, I believe I will be seeing the Chinese flag there way before we ever get back. We are willing to spend billions upon billions to save a failing auto industry that placed itself in that position for lack of creativity, failure to advance technology (now GM suddenly has the ability to make a hybrid electric get 230 miles to the gallon - come on!) - all so union votes are maintained and we support an "industry" that shot itself in the foot with a shotgun. Put the same kind of money into space development and see what technology comes out of it! New jobs, new industries, new advances in many areas. Now, I am not saying the bailout was a bad thing, but perhaps crash developments in other areas - solar power, electric storage technology, etc. would have been a great thing as well. I think I will end my rant here.

All perfectly pointless.

Obama is cutting the program even as we speak, just as I predicted.

I looked around on the NASA site, and a few other government and science sites and found no mention of this program being cut. Why don't you do the rest of us a favor and secede.

Why oh why does it have to look so...uninspiring. At least the current space shuttle actually looks like something you fly to space. This thing doesn't look like a vehicle but a rocket designed to shoot things. What the heck are those guys thinking? I guess I was thinking the next-gen space craft would look like Star Trek Enterprise or something? First, there has been no innovative improvements on the automobile, trains, trucks, and now space shuttles. The 21st century looks like a repeat of the previous. Very dumb and dull. I hate it all!

Getting into space is not about what looks cool, its all about what works. We already know a simple rocket works relatively cheaply and efficiently, so why waste time and money on designing/testing/building something that might look cooler, but won't necessarily work as well?

I think this ship is a step backwards also with the sapce shuttle you can go up to repair all the many sattlites up there that cost so much to send up as well haul heavy loads up to the ISS its reuseable that platform should be expanded on not go back to the begaining with one way rockets like aries come on I'm not a nasa engeneer but don't something else need to be thought of here ?

I tell you were is my freak-en space ships man I mean come on its 2009 going to be 2010 soon and still no flying cars no moon base no space ships what the hell man. I am so sick of this government and its move to socialism it was a republic and should still be at lest we could do more then now its play nice with everyone and we have become the worlds wet nurse and I for one am sick of it.

This nor the shuttle was/is a step backwards.

We learned a lot by building the shuttle and the ISS, which will help us in our moon prospects, and what we learn there will help us in going to Mars.

polarbear56 - The shuttle costs WAY to much money to launch just to fix a satellite. Unless that sat is the Hubble, which has gotten fixed twice...the first time was worth it, the second time was not.

As for Obama axing the whole moon base plan...time will tell. It does seem like he is against it...which is odd.
Considering it is going to costs billions and billions of dollars...and Obama is all about throwin' money around.

August 31st is the date that the final report is due, then we will learn what Obama has planned for Nasa.

On the surface this does appear to be a step back, but underneath I imagine the technology is way more advanced than anything in the Apollo program. I think that NASA hasn't done the best job it can when it comes to inspiring the public lately. I say forget the moon and mars, we need to work on an improved propulsion system that will make the trip not only feasible but profitable as well.

Shaithis - your correct it is way more advanced. and the plans are to stay there this time, and develop a moon base...not just go their and grab some rock samples.

improved propulsion: Its being worked on, One of the more exciting technologies is a plasma rocket called Vasimr, its a private company developing it (they used to work for Nasa...but funding got canceled so they went into the private sector).

That engine is pretty impressive, chemical rockets today take 6-7 months to reach Mars...While their plasma rocket will be able to do that voyage in just 39 days.

It's just another money pit to show the public so they think we're doing something productive. Rockets have been obsolete since Virgin Galactic. Besides, the new pres is more interested in pocketing the taxpayer's loot than spend it on anything that could advance the US in any way.

Seige Heil!

@Sam

Yeah, rockets are obsolete... we can all tell you're a rocket scientist with that brilliant analysis of yours. But never let facts get in the way of a good canard.

Oh, and if you're gonna type it, learn how to spell it... it's "Sieg Heil". Ask your astroturf buddies, they might do a better job next time.

Loser.

KTxLibris, Ares is the god of war, but the name also brings up the feelings of glory that the gods were about. Also, i think it represents relentlessness and pushing forward despite adversity.

Ares was the Greek god of war, Mars was the Roman god of war.

The Ares I will launch the "Orion" manned space capsule for trips to the ISS and to the Moon. Ares V will launch the heavy cargo modules for the ISS and also the Lunar and Command modules for the trip to the Moon. As well as the habitat modules to build the Lunar Base with.

The Augustine committee has made a few recommendations to the President. One of them is the Ares program. Now we wait to see what President Obama decides.

realy guys this is great but still we do live in the 21st century and we do nothing, i mean its all so comercial today, if it doesnt bring money we dont do it we just like going with what we have in order to save money, there is no interest in reserch and exploration anymore. I just dont know how people can be so idiotic and simple , i had greater expectations from the human race but it looks like we are just parasites that suck the life out of this planet and we do it even better and faster by beeing simple minded. We have the minds , the tehnology and the capabilities to go into space and explore to our hearts content but we do not have to wil to do it . I for one am disapointed in us all .

what does it do/ whats the function of it