Early artists impression of the Ares IV
The original Shuttle derived Ares IV compared
In 2011 the Constellation Program was reviewed following other decisions, such as the revival of Sea Dragon led to a simplification as the Ares I and V were cancelled in favor of a single Ares IV rocket for the missions. Largely equivalent to the real world SLS with multiple differences and is largely closer to the Soviet Energia Rocket boosters.
The Original Energia Rocket prepares to launch Polyus
The Boosters used the newly developed F1-B rocket engines, based on the original Saturn V engines instead of the solid rocket boosters from the Space Shuttle program. Whilst the core stage used the RD-0120 engines built for the Soviet Energia rocket, this was due to similar performance and a reduced cost.
Testing[]
The test of the main central stages was completed in 2017 with the F1-B boosters already certified, a minor fault delayed completion but the Ares IV was ready before the far more complicated Uragan reusable boosters developed by Russia.
In January 2019 the Ares IV successfully flew a test flight absent the as yet unfinished Orion spacecraft.
Missions[]
Gateway Rendezvous (Orion 2)[]
In July 2019 the first crewed Orion mission reached the Lunar Gateway Station and delivered it's crew, due to the unavailability of the Altair lander they were forced to merely take readings and report on circumstances.
They stayed for three months confirming the station was fully operational before returning to Earth.
Lunar Missions[]
In January 2020 the first landing on the moon since the 1970s was completed, a series of follow up missions was used to scout for possible sites for Lunar surface bases.
Finishing Apollo Missions[]
Subsequent launches are due to complete the Apollo 18, 19 and 20 missions that were cancelled under Nixon. Landing sites were Gassendi Crater, Copernicus Crater and Tycho Crater. The "Apollo 18" mission was the first back to the moon in 2020, with the 19 mission in October that year.
The "20" mission has been postponed due to the Covid pandemic.
Orion 3 and 4 (Apollo 18)[]
Orion 3 carried out a launch to the Gateway to provide on support for the Luna landing with the launch in November 2019, Orion 4 was then launched in January to carry out the Luna side of the mission, this set the pattern for following lunar missions, a crew on the gateway with a spare Orion capsule and Altair lander.
Orion 5 and 6 (Apollo 19)[]
Landing site Copernicus crater missions occurred in July and August of 2020, with the astronauts heavily quarantined due to the Covid pandemic.
Orion 7 and 8 (Apollo 20)[]
Due to land at Tycho Crater the missions were postponed for Gateway launch in July 2021 and Luna launch in September 2021.
Orion 9[]
Orion 9 will be to the Tsiolkovskiy Crater on the far side of the moon, with the Orion 7 crew remaining in the Gateway to maintain radio contact.7