This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/sci/tech/8325861.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| New Nasa rocket prepares to fly | New Nasa rocket prepares to fly |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A rocket designed to replace the aging space shuttle is set for its first test-flight, despite questions over the future of the programme. | A rocket designed to replace the aging space shuttle is set for its first test-flight, despite questions over the future of the programme. |
| The 100m-long Ares I-X has a four-hour launch window for blast-off from Nasa's Kennedy Space Center. | The 100m-long Ares I-X has a four-hour launch window for blast-off from Nasa's Kennedy Space Center. |
| The two-minute flight will allow Nasa to test technology crucial for the development of the manned Ares I craft. | The two-minute flight will allow Nasa to test technology crucial for the development of the manned Ares I craft. |
| A high-profile report has cast doubt on the future of the Ares rocket, which is intended to enter service in 2015. | A high-profile report has cast doubt on the future of the Ares rocket, which is intended to enter service in 2015. |
| The Augustine panel, which had been asked to review the US human spaceflight programme, published its report last Thursday just days before the scheduled launch. | The Augustine panel, which had been asked to review the US human spaceflight programme, published its report last Thursday just days before the scheduled launch. |
| Although the panel supported the Ares I-X test flight, it questioned the need to develop the Ares I rocket, part of the Constellation programme commissioned by the previous administration and intended to return the US to the Moon by 2020. | Although the panel supported the Ares I-X test flight, it questioned the need to develop the Ares I rocket, part of the Constellation programme commissioned by the previous administration and intended to return the US to the Moon by 2020. |
| [We wanted] to use as much existing technology as possible Robert Ess, Ares I-X mission manager | [We wanted] to use as much existing technology as possible Robert Ess, Ares I-X mission manager |
| In particular, the panel queried the cost and design of the craft as well as its development time. | In particular, the panel queried the cost and design of the craft as well as its development time. |
| "With time and sufficient funds, Nasa could develop, build and fly the Ares I successfully," the report said, "the question is, should it?" | "With time and sufficient funds, Nasa could develop, build and fly the Ares I successfully," the report said, "the question is, should it?" |
| The $450m (300m euros; £275m) Ares I-X is what Nasa describes as a "pathfinder" vehicle. | The $450m (300m euros; £275m) Ares I-X is what Nasa describes as a "pathfinder" vehicle. |
| "It is a chance for the agency to remind itself what it takes to build a vehicle," explained Robert Ess, Ares I-X mission manager. | "It is a chance for the agency to remind itself what it takes to build a vehicle," explained Robert Ess, Ares I-X mission manager. |
| Nasa has not designed a new launch vehicle for more than three decades and has lost much of the expertise in the area, according to some critics. | Nasa has not designed a new launch vehicle for more than three decades and has lost much of the expertise in the area, according to some critics. |
| "Ares I-X is all about information; about gathering data," Mr Ess told BBC News. | "Ares I-X is all about information; about gathering data," Mr Ess told BBC News. |
| "We have a lot of computer models that we think show it all works. We're very confident we can do it but the proof is actually doing it for the first time." | "We have a lot of computer models that we think show it all works. We're very confident we can do it but the proof is actually doing it for the first time." |
| The Ares I-X is the longest, thinnest vehicle ever designed and built by the US space agency. | The Ares I-X is the longest, thinnest vehicle ever designed and built by the US space agency. |
| Its shape has been determined by the design of its solid rocket booster - itself a modified version of the units used to lift the shuttle into orbit. | Its shape has been determined by the design of its solid rocket booster - itself a modified version of the units used to lift the shuttle into orbit. |
| "[We wanted] to use as much existing technology as possible," said Mr Ess. "Given that we have the space shuttle booster and given that it is 14-and-a-half-feet in diameter, we didn't want to change that. That architecture drives the length of it." | "[We wanted] to use as much existing technology as possible," said Mr Ess. "Given that we have the space shuttle booster and given that it is 14-and-a-half-feet in diameter, we didn't want to change that. That architecture drives the length of it." |
| The final Ares I design calls for the shuttle booster to be upgraded from four to five segments for the first stage of the rocket. The Ares I-X, though, will fly with just four segments and an additional unit that merely simulates an extra portion of booster. | The final Ares I design calls for the shuttle booster to be upgraded from four to five segments for the first stage of the rocket. The Ares I-X, though, will fly with just four segments and an additional unit that merely simulates an extra portion of booster. |
| Engineers saw value in flying the more limited configuration to get engineering flight data as soon as possible rather than wait the extra year or two before a five-segment booster became available. | Engineers saw value in flying the more limited configuration to get engineering flight data as soon as possible rather than wait the extra year or two before a five-segment booster became available. |
| The I-X vehicle is 100m (320ft) tall and has been designed to be as close as possible to the eventual Ares I rocket. | The I-X vehicle is 100m (320ft) tall and has been designed to be as close as possible to the eventual Ares I rocket. |
| However, the top half of the launcher, like the fifth segment of the booster, is a dummy. What would be an upper-stage, with a crew capsule and its emergency escape mechanism, are mock-ups made to the correct shape and weight. | However, the top half of the launcher, like the fifth segment of the booster, is a dummy. What would be an upper-stage, with a crew capsule and its emergency escape mechanism, are mock-ups made to the correct shape and weight. |
| "We have been building the simulators for over two years now. It has been a very long and very intense process," explained Jonathan Cruz, deputy project manager for the Ares I-X crew module and launch abort system. | "We have been building the simulators for over two years now. It has been a very long and very intense process," explained Jonathan Cruz, deputy project manager for the Ares I-X crew module and launch abort system. |
| "[They] are incredibly accurate. One reason why it has been so difficult and taken so long to build this is because we are building this to exact tolerances." | "[They] are incredibly accurate. One reason why it has been so difficult and taken so long to build this is because we are building this to exact tolerances." |
| Shaky design | Shaky design |
| The test launch - scheduled for Tuesday between 1200 and 1600 GMT (0800 and 1200 EDT) - will take place from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. | The test launch - scheduled for Tuesday between 1200 and 1600 GMT (0800 and 1200 EDT) - will take place from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. |
| If weather delays the flight, the team has a four-hour launch window each day until 29 October. | If weather delays the flight, the team has a four-hour launch window each day until 29 October. |
| When given the go-ahead, the rocket will blast off from pad 39B, a space shuttle launch site that has been modified to handle the slender rocket. | When given the go-ahead, the rocket will blast off from pad 39B, a space shuttle launch site that has been modified to handle the slender rocket. |
| "It has a little higher thrust-to-weight ratio than the space shuttle, so you'll see it come off the pad a little quicker than you're used to," explained Mr Ess. | "It has a little higher thrust-to-weight ratio than the space shuttle, so you'll see it come off the pad a little quicker than you're used to," explained Mr Ess. |
| The flight will last for 120 seconds and will see the demonstrator climb to about 40km (25 miles). At that point, the lower and upper stages will separate. | The flight will last for 120 seconds and will see the demonstrator climb to about 40km (25 miles). At that point, the lower and upper stages will separate. |
| "After the separation we basically do a kick manoeuvre," Mr Ess told BBC News. | "After the separation we basically do a kick manoeuvre," Mr Ess told BBC News. |
| Motors will be used to make the lower-stage spin, creating drag and helping the booster slow down enough to allow it to deploy its parachutes so that it can be recovered. | Motors will be used to make the lower-stage spin, creating drag and helping the booster slow down enough to allow it to deploy its parachutes so that it can be recovered. |
| "The front part of it just carries on going and splashes into the ocean." | "The front part of it just carries on going and splashes into the ocean." |
| The vehicle has also been wired with sensors from top to bottom, allowing engineers to monitor all aspects of the flight, including pressures, accelerations and temperatures. | The vehicle has also been wired with sensors from top to bottom, allowing engineers to monitor all aspects of the flight, including pressures, accelerations and temperatures. |
| I look at it as a suicide launch vehicle Charles VickAerospace analyst | I look at it as a suicide launch vehicle Charles VickAerospace analyst |
| The team is particularly interested to see how such a slender and flexible vehicle behaves during flight. | The team is particularly interested to see how such a slender and flexible vehicle behaves during flight. |
| "Our flight control team has spent a long time designing a flight control system that can handle it," said Mr Ess. | "Our flight control team has spent a long time designing a flight control system that can handle it," said Mr Ess. |
| "So being able to do a test flight and prove that a concept is going to work the way we think it is going to is a big one. That is our primary objective." | "So being able to do a test flight and prove that a concept is going to work the way we think it is going to is a big one. That is our primary objective." |
| In addition, the team is keen to gather data on so-called "thrust oscillations". | In addition, the team is keen to gather data on so-called "thrust oscillations". |
| The solid rocket booster is known to shake towards the end of its burn, which might cause problems if the Ares ever becomes a manned space vehicle. | The solid rocket booster is known to shake towards the end of its burn, which might cause problems if the Ares ever becomes a manned space vehicle. |
| "Getting some actual data on that phenomenon during Ares I-X is going to help those designers know how much of an attenuation system they are going to need for Ares I," said Mr Ess. | "Getting some actual data on that phenomenon during Ares I-X is going to help those designers know how much of an attenuation system they are going to need for Ares I," said Mr Ess. |
| Crucial test | Crucial test |
| These oscillations are just one of the problems with Ares I and the I-X, highlighted by critics of the design. | These oscillations are just one of the problems with Ares I and the I-X, highlighted by critics of the design. |
| "I look at it as a suicide launch vehicle," said Charles Vick, an aerospace analyst, "I would not fly on that vehicle." | "I look at it as a suicide launch vehicle," said Charles Vick, an aerospace analyst, "I would not fly on that vehicle." |
| Advertisement | |
| Pallab Ghosh visited Nasa's launch viewing area on Monday | |
| He added: "The upper-stages and spacecraft are essentially alright but it's that first stage that bothers everybody - it's entirely too tall," he continued. | He added: "The upper-stages and spacecraft are essentially alright but it's that first stage that bothers everybody - it's entirely too tall," he continued. |
| Mr Vick said there were a number of options that could replace Ares I and provide a safer vehicle. These included designs using technology more heavily derived from the shuttle or the Saturn V rockets of the Apollo programme, he said. | Mr Vick said there were a number of options that could replace Ares I and provide a safer vehicle. These included designs using technology more heavily derived from the shuttle or the Saturn V rockets of the Apollo programme, he said. |
| Other technology or vehicles could be adapted from the Delta IV rockets currently used to loft satellites into orbit, he argued. | Other technology or vehicles could be adapted from the Delta IV rockets currently used to loft satellites into orbit, he argued. |
| "The reality of it is that there are many other alternatives," he claimed. | "The reality of it is that there are many other alternatives," he claimed. |
| The Augustine panel has examined many of these different approaches, including a design dubbed Ares V Lite. | The Augustine panel has examined many of these different approaches, including a design dubbed Ares V Lite. |
| Under current plans, Ares I would be used to carry astronauts into orbit, whilst a heavy-lift Ares V rocket would loft hardware. | Under current plans, Ares I would be used to carry astronauts into orbit, whilst a heavy-lift Ares V rocket would loft hardware. |
| The Ares V Lite would be a smaller version of the freight carrier, capable of carrying astronauts. | The Ares V Lite would be a smaller version of the freight carrier, capable of carrying astronauts. |
| Crucially, the design would use the solid rocket booster flown on the Ares I-X, meaning years of costly engineering and testing would not be wasted. | Crucially, the design would use the solid rocket booster flown on the Ares I-X, meaning years of costly engineering and testing would not be wasted. |
| However, the decision on the future of the Ares I and the rest of the Constellation programme now rests with President Barack Obama who is expected to give a response in the coming weeks. | However, the decision on the future of the Ares I and the rest of the Constellation programme now rests with President Barack Obama who is expected to give a response in the coming weeks. |
| According to Mr Vick, the success, or otherwise, of the Ares I-X test flight could have a significant bearing on his decision and the future of the programme. | According to Mr Vick, the success, or otherwise, of the Ares I-X test flight could have a significant bearing on his decision and the future of the programme. |
| "I really think everybody is waiting to see what happens with this flight - a lot is dependent on that flight," he said. | "I really think everybody is waiting to see what happens with this flight - a lot is dependent on that flight," he said. |