As of early 2009, crewed flights for NASA Project Constellation missions were planned to begin around 2014; an independent assessment by the Augustine Commission

Augustine Commission

Augustine Commission may refer to either of two committees chaired by Norman Ralph Augustine:* 1990 - Advisory Committee on the Future of the United States Space Program* 2009 - Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee...

 estimated that this would not occur until 2017-2019. The first launch of the suborbital Ares I-X

Ares I-X

Ares I-X was the first stage prototype and design concept demonstrator in the Ares I program, a launch system for human spaceflight developed by the United States space agency, NASA. Ares I-X was successfully launched on October 28, 2009...

 launch system was in October, 2009, with a second test launch scheduled for 2012. However, on February 1, 2010, President Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 announced a proposal to cancel the Constellation program and effectively end the U.S. manned space program effective with the U.S. 2011 fiscal year budget.

Tests of the Launch Abort System were conducted in 2010.

The test flight of Ares V

Ares V

The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars...

 was planned for 2018, with lunar return flights beginning in 2019; the Augustine Commission estimated this would not actually occur until the late 2020s.

Development of mission plans

In October 2006 NASA released a draft schedule of all planned NASA Project Constellation missions through 2019. This document included descriptions of a series of proposed vehicle test missions. In July 2007 the schedule was reviewed. In January 2008 the schedule was again reviewed. The most recent published set of milestones is from February 2009. Also, an independent assessment by the Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee

Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee

The Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee was a group reviewing the human spaceflight plans of the United States...

 in October 2009 found that under NASA's current plans and budget the Ares I would not be ready to launch until 2017-2019, with the Ares V not available until the late 2020s.

Constellation missions

Proposed schedule

Order	Date	Year	Mission	Launch Vehicle	Duration	Crew Size	Launch Pad	Note
1	October 28	2009 2009 in spaceflight Several significant events in spaceflight occurred in 2009, including Iran conducting its first indigenous orbital launch, the first Swiss satellite being launched and New Zealand launching its first sounding rocket. The H-IIB and Naro-1 rockets conducted maiden flights, whilst the Tsyklon-3,...	Ares I-X Ares I-X Ares I-X was the first stage prototype and design concept demonstrator in the Ares I program, a launch system for human spaceflight developed by the United States space agency, NASA. Ares I-X was successfully launched on October 28, 2009...	Ares I-X Ares I-X Ares I-X was the first stage prototype and design concept demonstrator in the Ares I program, a launch system for human spaceflight developed by the United States space agency, NASA. Ares I-X was successfully launched on October 28, 2009...	~2 min.	Unmanned	39B	Atmospheric test of the first stage of the Ares I-X launcher with four active SRM segments and an inert fifth segment and upper stage.
Planned missions
2		2012	Ares I-X Prime	Ares I-X Prime	~8 min.	Unmanned	39B	Second sub-orbital Ares I-X test flight, comprising of a five segment booster with real upper stage and a dummy J-2 J-2 (rocket engine) Rocketdyne's J-2 rocket engine was a major component of the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo program to send men to the Moon. Five J-2 engines were used on the S-II second stage, and one J-2 was used on the S-IVB third stage. The S-IVB was also used as the second stage of the smaller Saturn IB...  engine. High altitude abort.
3		2014	Orion 1	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...		Unmanned	39B	First flight of the Orion Orion (spacecraft) Orion is a spacecraft designed by Lockheed Martin for NASA, the space agency of the United States. Orion development began in 2005 as part of the Constellation program, where Orion would fulfill the function of a Crew Exploration Vehicle....  spacecraft, in an unmanned orbital flight with a splashdown off Australia.
4		2015	Orion 2	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	First manned Orion test flight. Dress rehearsal for the first manned mission including demonstration of rendezvous and proximity operations with the ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... . First docking with the ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... . Landing at Edwards AFB. Leaves an adapter on the ISS.
5		2015	Orion 3	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	Second manned Orion test flight. Leaves a second adapter on the ISS.
6		2015	Orion 4	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight. First operational Orion flight.
7		2016	Orion 5	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
8		2016	Orion 6	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
9		2017	Orion 7	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
10		2017	Orion 8	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
11		2018	Orion 9	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
13		2018	Ares V-Y Ares V-Y Ares V-Y was the proposed designation for the maiden flight of the cancelled heavy-lift Ares V Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicle. The rocket launch was supposed to conducted first stage testing, which uses six RS-68 rocket engines currently in use on the Delta IV EELV rocket with two 5.5 segment...	Ares V-Y Ares V-Y Ares V-Y was the proposed designation for the maiden flight of the cancelled heavy-lift Ares V Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicle. The rocket launch was supposed to conducted first stage testing, which uses six RS-68 rocket engines currently in use on the Delta IV EELV rocket with two 5.5 segment...		0	39A	Maiden flight of Ares V Ares V The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars... .
14		2018	Orion 10	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
15		2019	Altair 1	Ares V Ares V The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars...		0	39A	Maiden flight of Altair. Altair for Orion 11.
16		2019	Orion 11	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B
17		2019	Orion 12	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
18		2019	Altair 2	Ares V Ares V The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars...		0	39A	Altair for Orion 13.
19		2019	Orion 13	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	First Orion flight to the Moon.
20		2019	Orion 14	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
21		2020	Altair 3	Ares V Ares V The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars...		0	39A	Altair for Orion 15.
22		2020	Orion 15	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	Flight to the Moon.
23		2020	Orion 16	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.
24		2020	Altair 4	Ares V Ares V The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars...		0	39A	Direct lunar flight?
25		2020	Orion 17	Ares I Ares I Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...			39B	ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...  Crew Rotation Flight.

Ascent abort tests

These will be conducted using the Orion Abort Test Booster

Orion Abort Test Booster

The Orion Abort Test Booster is a small solid rocket launcher which will be developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation under contract by U.S...

 (ATB), similar to the Little Joe II

Little Joe II

Little Joe II was an American space launch vehicle used for five unmanned tests of the launch escape system and to verify the performance of the command module parachutes for the Apollo spacecraft from 1963–66...

 used for Apollo testing. A boilerplate Orion capsule and the escape tower will be tested on these missions.

Order	Month	Year	Mission	Note
Planned missions
1	Q3	2010	AA-1	Transonic Transonic Transonic speed is an aeronautics term referring to the condition of flight in which a range of velocities of airflow exist surrounding and flowing past an air vehicle or an airfoil that are concurrently below, at, and above the speed of sound in the range of Mach 0.8 to 1.2, i.e. 600–900 mph...  speeds. Date subject to change with test experience.
2	Q4	2011	AA-2	Maximum dynamic pressure Max Q In aerospace engineering, the maximum dynamic pressure, often referred to as maximum Q or max Q, is the point at which aerodynamic stress on a vehicle in atmospheric flight is maximized...  region (max Q). Date subject to change with test experience.

Pad abort tests

These will test the launch escape system

Launch escape system

A Launch Escape System is a top-mounted rocket connected to the crew module of a crewed spacecraft and used to quickly separate the crew module from the rest of the rocket in case of emergency. Since the escape rockets are above the crew module, an LES typically uses separate nozzles which are...

 of the Orion spacecraft on the launchpad.

Order	Date	Year	Mission	Note
1	May 6	2010	Pad Abort 1 Pad Abort 1 (Orion) Pad Abort 1 was a flight test of the Orion Launch Abort System . Orion is a component of Constellation, a human spaceflight project within NASA, the space agency of the United States...	Used the former shape of the LAS adapter. Also known as abort flight test (AFT). The full-scale Orion AFT crew module underwent preparations at Dryden Flight Research Center Dryden Flight Research Center The Dryden Flight Research Center , located inside Edwards Air Force Base, is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. On March 26, 1976 it was named in honor of the late Hugh L. Dryden, a prominent aeronautical engineer who at the time of his death in 1965 was NASA's deputy administrator... . Orion Crew Module Pathfinder 'Test Article' fabricated at Langley Research Center Langley Research Center Langley Research Center is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base... . The PA-1 Test took place at U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range White Sands Missile Range White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range... in New Mexico. The test slipped to "early 2010" from an originally planned date of late 2008. In October 2009 Orbital Sciences indicated the test was scheduled for March 2010.
Planned missions
2	Q4	2012	Pad Abort 2	Date subject to change with test experience.

External links

• Official Constellation NASA Web Site
• Official Orion NASA Web Site
• Official Ares Web Site