This is nothing about NASA developing new tech.
All Ares is these days is trying to figure out how to fix the next dumbass issue due to having to use a SRB as a first stage when military rockets have more payload.
The Delta IV heavy EASILY beats the current performance of this pork beast.
As for going to the stars. That will never happen with low ISP rockets and I mean never. To have a noticeable impact of population reduction you have to move over 100 million a year. Which means you have to have 747 sized spacecraft that are able to not only go to orbit but to the colony or mars or whatever.
Best guess is 50 years to do that (The main problems being engine tech and life support) IF things get much more serious.
NASA is done as far as advancing tech. The people inventing small steps like small fuel cells. Microwave thrusters, thin film solar.. etc... are the ones advancing tech and they are doing it faster than red tape Nasa could dream of.
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