Ares

[Kibble]

Could we still fly a rocket like Ares I? For formerly-named SLS we have have done QM1, static testing the five-segment boosters. With SLS, those 5-seg SRBs will be in active production. And for the upper stage, get this - 5m diameter cryogenic tanks in active production for Delta IV (and eventually Vulcan) powered by two BE3 rocket engines! Hydrogen fueled, built to air-start and restart, two 490 kN engines is enough to match J2X, but these engines are in production have actually flown on the New Shepard test vehicle!

[fredinno]

Technically, yes. You might have to add another set of boosters, or replace them with the SLS Block II's "Dark Knight" advanced boosters- the Ares I was underpowered. I'm not sure why you'd want to build a rocket like that though. It'd probably be more economical to man-rate the Delta IV Heavy.

Edited June 11, 2015 by fredinno

[Bill Phil]

How wide are the SRBs?

[Kryten]

The engine for Vulcan is the LOX/LCH4 BE-4, which isn't in full-scale testing yet, but that's not really relevant. The main problem is the SRB casings haven't actually been 'in production' since the end of the shuttle program, and by this point restart of the production is basically impossible. There are somewhere on the order of 50-80 segments left, and SLS would be competing for those.

How wide are the SRBs?

3.7m. Given ATK found mating that with the 5.6m Ariane 5 care was aerodynamically feasible for liberty, it shouldn't be an issue.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Kryten

[Kibble]

The engine for Vulcan is the LOX/LCH4 BE-4, which isn't in full-scale testing yet, but that's not really relevant.

That really isn't relevant, I was talking about BE3!

by this point restart of the production is basically impossible.

That's pretty sad. Why?

[fredinno]

This could be fixed by using ATK's advanced "Dark Knight" boosters in development for the SLS Block II (and the other blocks after the existing inventory of SRB's are used up)

[Kryten]

That's pretty sad. Why?

The casings were basically unique for strength and precision requirements for steel structures, and there wasn't anything else to do with most of that equipment after production ended, so it was scrapped. Some of the equipment (like the molten salt bath used for quenching) couldn't even be turned off without rendering it unusable.