The Constellation Program's Ares I-X rocket has transformed during the past few weeks for its targeted flight test in late August.The four motor segments were stacked on the Mobile Launcher Platform and tested, in addition to tests on the vehicle's instruments.
The Super Stack 1 assembly is complete. Stack one is made up of eight pieces: interstages 1 and 2, the frustum, the forward skirt extension, the forward skirt and the aft, center and forward segments of the fifth segment simulator. It also includes two internal elements: the roll control system and the first stage avionics module.
The next processing milestones will include stacking of the upper stage, flight instrument testing and modifications to Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B. The vehicle stabilization system is being built at the base of the launch pad.
The Ares I-X flight test will provide NASA an early opportunity to check and prove hardware, analysis and modeling methods, as well as facilities and ground operations needed to develop the Ares I, which is NASA's next crew launch vehicle. The test also will allow NASA to gather critical data during the ascent of the integrated stack, which will help with the design of the Ares I rocket and the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The data will ensure the entire vehicle system is safe and fully operational before astronauts begin traveling to the International Space Station and moon.
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