Weight Issues Continue In Ares-1/Orion Program

Marshall engineers set to refine rocket design, Huntsville Times

“We aren’t even through with the design yet,” he said. “There’s no vehicle on a launch pad, and I’m confident by the time the Ares is stacked, it will have the power there the day we go fly it.”

Editor’s note: If the Ares 1 indeed has the power it needs to loft Orion, one would think that Dave King would be clamoring to say so. Since he doesn’t say so, one has to assume that this is still an issue being worked.

Orion On Track But Overweight; Funding Crunch Could Hit In ’07, Aerospace Daily

“NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle remains on schedule to carry humans to the International Space Station no later than 2014, and possibly earlier, but it will need to go on a New Year’s diet to lose about 3,000 pounds of excess weight.”

Big Problems With the Stick, NASA Watch

“Sources inside the development of the Ares 1 launch vehicle (aka Crew Launch Vehicle or “The Stick”) have reported that the current design is underpowered to the tune of a metric ton or more. As currently designed, Ares 1 would not be able to put the present Orion spacecraft design (Crew Exploration Vehicle) into the orbit NASA desires for missions to the ISS.”