Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Ares 1-X at Complex 39B

NASA Image

A little news away from the 787. NASA rolled out the Ares 1-X rocket to launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center yesterday. What a sight it is compared to the space shuttles we've been watching for almost 30 years. The Ares 1-X is to provide aerodynamic data of the Ares 1 rocket whose first stage is based on the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motors. The flight is to last no more than two minutes and is suborbital. The data will be used to verify the design and load limits on the actual Ares I rocket whose first flight (if it survives the White House review on Human Spaceflight) won't take place until 2015.

Ares 1-X is schedule for launch on October 27th between 8AM and 12noon.

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