/sci/ - Science & Math

>>6572788
The constellation program was a system of multiple rockets carrying heaier payloads into orbit that would be utilized in moon landings. You had the Orion (The only thing to make it through) being lofted up on an Ares-1 Rocket. (Ares-1X was a demonstration of the stack and a checkout of the first stage. It was a partial success in that it launched but separation happened too soon and it impacted the ballast tank. Further, one of the main chutes failed to deploy properly and as a result the velocity caused damage to the first stage) Then you had the Antares which was a larger issue Lunar lander that would be lofted up into orbit on an ARES-V rocket (Imagine a smaller Saturn V booster). The big draw was supposed to be the reuse of shuttle technology to cut back on costs.
The Constellation project was cut 2 years after the ARES-1X launch and only the Orion crew module survived. The constellation project has been replaced by the SLS project.

This is my personal take:
The next guy will come in, proclaim something amazing, and cut the SLS project and we will once again be back at 2003, drawing up new plans for the next thing. Which will then be cut.

In the meantime, commercial interests such as spacex are picking up that slack.

Attached is an image (Resized) of the ARES-1X launching.