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Test for Nasa's new rocket motor Nasa rocket motor test postponed
(about 12 hours later)
The first-stage rocket motor that US space agency (Nasa) hopes will launch astronauts in future undergoes its first full-scale test on Thursday. The test firing of a new first-stage rocket motor which could one day launch US astronauts was called off just seconds before ignition on Thursday.
The static firing will take place at a facility owned by manufacturer Alliant Techsystems Inc (ATK) in Utah. The stoppage was put down to a power failure in a hydraulics unit controlling the rocket's nozzle.
The five-segment booster is intended to power the early flight phase of Nasa's Ares 1 rocket, the vehicle designed to loft its new Orion crew carrier. The US space agency was not immediately able to state a new date for the test at manufacturer ATK's Utah facility.
The two-minute burn will give engineers valuable performance data. The five-segment booster is intended to power the early flight phase of Nasa's proposed Ares 1 launch vehicle.
The tall rocket would lift the new Orion crew capsule into orbit.
The two-minute horizontal test-burn of the solid-fuel booster should give ATK and Nasa engineers valuable performance data.
Further engineering data will come from the October flight of a demonstrator version of the Ares 1 known as Ares 1-X.Further engineering data will come from the October flight of a demonstrator version of the Ares 1 known as Ares 1-X.
Nasa is scheduled to retire its space shuttles next year, and has begun the development of a new human space launch "architecture" called Constellation. The US space agency is scheduled to retire its space shuttles next year, and has begun the development of a new human space launch "architecture" called Constellation.
The architecture calls for two new rockets: the Ares 1 to launch crew, and a new heavy-lift rocket known as Ares 5 that could put into orbit the equipment needed by an Orion capsule to travel to the Moon and beyond.The architecture calls for two new rockets: the Ares 1 to launch crew, and a new heavy-lift rocket known as Ares 5 that could put into orbit the equipment needed by an Orion capsule to travel to the Moon and beyond.
However, all the systems are under review by a top-level panel led by former Lockheed Martin chief executive Norm Augustine. President Barack Obama has asked the panel to assess different options for getting US astronauts into space. However, all the systems are under review by a top-level panel led by former Lockheed Martin chairman and chief executive Norm Augustine. President Barack Obama has asked the panel to assess different options for getting US astronauts into space.
The ATK test is timed for 1300 local time (1900 GMT). Some commentators expect the Ares development plans to be modified or even cancelled.