Ares I-X Launch on 10/28/2009

Minuteman351 Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - Not great. Didn't you see the 1st stage sep jacknifiing at the end? That was not planned!

TimeLapseSteve Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - The first stage's ullage motors are designed to decelerate it so it does not impact the second stage. Tumbling after separation is quite normal.

apopheniacMCMLXXXIX Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - At 2:19, you can see the space shuttle and the Ares I-X in the same view. Kinda neat. That's the only time we'll get to see the two programs overlapping.

ecodna2000 Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - The test is the test. I think that this test is very important. Very Very Good launch test. Good Job,USA'peaple.

PivotStorm Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - kickass video!

tanga41591 Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - what a beauty!

darkcorsair247 Says:

Oct 29, 2009 - amazing love how they cut his tie at the end hahaha sweet

sbmrunning Says:

Oct 30, 2009 - sound suppression system? lol......... my speakers picked up that rubble! awesome shot!..........that son of a "B" was movin fast too! did you see how fast it was breaking the sound barrier? ! awesome video! thanks! well done nasa !

sbmrunning Says:

Oct 30, 2009 - lol ! cutting his tie! lol.......hahahahaaaa....... some traditions ? how does it get started? lol

Tulostenaloor Says:

Nov 1, 2009 - hard to believe that this is only the "small" brother of the Ares V, bigger than Saturn V. cant wait to see that launch, only 9 years till its first try :(

Hazmat0987 Says:

Nov 1, 2009 - well its not rocket science... I'm sorry i had to say that. It just fit with the moment, barely.

ClancD Says:

Nov 2, 2009 - And yet it's 2.5 times taller... It is wierd to not see the huge ET-SRB-Orbiter stack that we're used to..

ClancD Says:

Nov 2, 2009 - The idea of a reusable launch vehicle has come and gone. Yes, the Shuttle was neat, but it was far more expensive to operate than was planned. It had it's uses, but for the simple mission of launching people into orbit, you can't beat a plain ol' rocket. Ares is also far, far more advanced in it's systems and avionics. The Shuttle is still running on 1980's computer technology...

lestube001 Says:

Nov 2, 2009 - fair point cheers

Minuteman351 Says:

Nov 2, 2009 - Dude, I work wth mostly ex-shuttle people, who know the SRBs and launch systems. Did you see the tipoff it gave to the 2nd stsage? Not good!

TimeLapseSteve Says:

Nov 3, 2009 - Yeah the more I watch it the more I see what you are saying. Looks like the booster still had a bit too much 'oomph' when it separated.

MusicalFan1701 Says:

Nov 3, 2009 - There is no reason for an unpowered unguided upper or lower stage to do anything but tumble after burnout and separation. Watch the long press conference.

crazybastard82 Says:

Nov 10, 2009 - clancd: um, i was under the impression that the ares is still a reusable vehicle considering they recover the booster stage like they did with the srbs for the shuttle?

ClancD Says:

Nov 11, 2009 - That's true, thee first stage will be reusable, but the second stage and the Orion spacecraft itself will not be, compared to the Shuttle where both the SRBs and Orbiter are reused, with only the External Fuel Tank being expended.

zephyrus001 Says:

Nov 11, 2009 - @Minuteman351 There was no recontact.

hellomate639 Says:

Nov 14, 2009 - Luckily it's a developing concept... But I don't plan on riding an Ares even if given the opportunity... Hehe... I'll take a space elevator any day. Honestly, I think the best concept within our current technological reach is a low earth orbit launch with something like a shuttle or large capactiy low earth launch rocket coupled with an ion or plasma thruster to get large loads to the moon.

FuZuSa Says:

Nov 17, 2009 - Yeah the first stage was still finishing burning off its remaining fuel when it separated and nudged the 2nd stage they got lucky it didn't hit it hard enough to make it spin into the first stage..

A86 Says:

Nov 20, 2009 - NASA has already talked about it. The spin direction of the second stage was one of the predicted scenarios evaluated by the simulator. The upper stage was unpowered in this mission so it was pretty much just dead weight. In a real mission it would push away from the first stage with vernier engines.

EndeavourLaunch Says:

Nov 22, 2009 - Walter Cronkite would be proud! Go Ares I!

artsmith1972 Says:

Nov 23, 2009 - couple things.... i saw and concur, but the speaker says "seperation and tumble motor ignition".... is there any conceivable reason they would want the the upper portion to tumble as it did? Also i was wondering if the fact that there was no 2nd stage ignition, which would have propelled the craft straighter.... i dont know but i did notice what you mention and was wondering myself....