Taking Flight - The Ares I-X Test Flight

September, 2008

The Shuttle is planned to be retired with the last flights scheduled for 2010.
NASA is developing a new program, called the Constellation Program, to build new vehicles to take humans up to the International Space Station (ISS) and eventually to the moon and Mars.
The first test flight of the Constellation program is called Ares I-X and will launch next year.
The test flight objectives are focused on first-stage flight dynamics, controllability, separation of the first and upper stages, ground operations, and first stage recovery. The test flight will also verify the performance and dynamics of the shuttles solid rocket booster in single stick arrangement. (The usual shuttle configuration is two rocket boosters with one external fuel tank.) This flight will only last about 2 minutes and does not reach orbit.
The first manned flight of the Constellation Program is scheduled to occur in 2014. This flight will go to the ISS.
The first flight to take humans back to the moon is scheduled to occur in 2019.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NASA
• Ares
• I-X
• test
• flight
• documentary
• aviation
• space

[michchap]

I have my calendar tentatively marked for the Ares I-X test flight. I cannot wait!