The prototype of the future American manned launch vehicle successfully blasted off.
Ares I-X lifted off from launch pad 39B, dedicated up until now to the space shuttles. For more photographs of this test flight, take a look at this Enjoy Space portfolio. Credit: NASA
Yesterday, 28 October 2009, the scenario of the previous day seemed set for an encore: Ares I-X was completely ready on its launch pad and yet the weather conditions continually alternated between green (in line with the requirements laid down for blast-off) and red (breach of safety criteria). As a result, the lift-off slated at 08:00, local Florida time, was not given the “go” and it was finally three and a half hours later, at 11:30, that Ares I-X left launch pad 39B, just thirty minutes before the end of the launch window (the time slot during which lift-off is possible).
NASA TV video of the Ares I-X launch. Mach 1 in just 39 seconds Ares I-X is a kind of life-size flying model intended to test some of the technologies which are to be applied to NASA’s future manned launch vehicle, Ares I (see this Enjoy Space feature). This flight was not, therefore, carrying any astronauts, but it is still historic as for the first time since 1981 a new type of spacecraft lifted off from the launch pad dedicated to space shuttles and, prior to that, the Apollo programme. The American Space Agency was, therefore, able to try out the very special flight envelope of this one hundred meter tall launch vehicle other than by computer simulations or wind tunnel tests. In addition, only 0.1 seconds after the firing of the first stage — a solid rocket booster identical to those used in pairs for the space shuttles — the exhaust nozzle of said booster was orientated so as to direct the rocket away from its launch tower. The fact that Ares I-X (and subsequently Ares I) could get too close to the service structure at the beginning of the flight was one of the fears raised by the programme’s opponents. Further manoeuvres were successfully accomplished such as roll control (the fact that the launch vehicle turns on itself along its longitudinal axis). During its ascension, the rocket exceeded Mach 1 (the speed of sound, a little more than 1,000 km/h) after 39 seconds. Two minutes after lift-off, the solid rocket booster cut out as anticipated at an altitude of forty or so kilometres and the maximum speed of Mach 4.7. The booster then separated from the second stage; it was, however, noted that this dummy stage went into an unplanned rotation movement. NASA specified that no collision took place between the elements. Although the second stage a fell uncontrolled into the Atlantic Ocean, the booster was parachuted back down and was recovered from the sea at about 240 km east of the Florida coastline.
A mine of data As far as the American Space Agency is concerned, this 6 minute test flight is a total success even though some people are focusing attention on the unexpected movement of the second dummy stage. The true treasure from this mission is now contained in the Kennedy Space Center computers which recorded the data supplied by more than 700 onboard sensors and which will make it possible to find out how a spacecraft of this type will behave in a real situation. The future of the Ares programme, however, remains in suspense awaiting the decision that the White House is to take at the beginning of 2010 in response to the report submitted by the panel of experts on human space flights dubbed the Augustine Committee. Said report highlights the fact that although NASA had the capacity to make Ares I an operational launch vehicle, it did not have sufficient funding to do so.
Live EnjoySpaceTV with French commentary (the video begins 90 seconds before the final 4 minute countdown).
Take a look at the pictures of Ares I-X in flight with this Enjoy Space portfolio. Published on 29 October 2009
This is the mythical rocket par excellence, the one that launched Sputnik, the first satellite and Gagarin, the first man in space. The CSG, Guiana Space Centre, is now one of its launch bases: a historic achievement.
The first episode of this famous science-fiction series was broadcast in September 1966. NASA has often made references to these programmes, as in the case of the space shuttle Enterprise, which had the same name as the spaceship in the series.
50 years ago on 5 May 1961, a few weeks after Gagarin, American Alan Shepard reached space. Several years later, he was to walk on the Moon, summarising as it were the race in which the Soviet Union and the United States were competing.
