[SunkenCiv]

I was impressed that the Ares can put 206 tons into LEO, which exceeds the Saturn V (I believe... actually I didn’t check that), and beats the Apollo booster’s “to da moon” payload. Using the human-rated iteration probably requires multiple launches, along the lines you suggest — sending the surface habitat (more like a habitrail) on ahead, then putting the crew there.

Using a trajectory to the moon similar to the one used by the Clementine probe, I wonder how much more the Ares V could deliver?

[Steely Tom]

Saturn V was capable of putting 285,000 lb into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This is about 130,000 kg.

It was capable of putting 107,000 lb into Lunar orbit (about 48,700 kg).

IIRC, the landing (dry) weight of the Shuttle orbiter is 109,000 lb.

Source: www.imperialsolutions.com