Wed, Jun 25, 2008
Stage Joint Severance Test Deemed A Success
Alliant Techsystems recently conducted a successful full-scale
severance test of an Ares I-X first stage. The test is a milestone
in the development of NASA's Ares I crew launch vehicle and is
another step leading to the flight test of Ares I-X in Spring
2009.
The test consisted of a replicated Ares I-X first stage forward
skirt extension and forward skirt stacked and suspended two feet
above the ground. A linear-shape charge was detonated, detaching
the two pieces of hardware horizontally. During an actual flight,
once the first stage separates from the upper stage, the solid
rocket booster will start to fall and at a predetermined altitude
the forward skirt extension joint will be severed to facilitate
deployment of the parachute recovery system. The first stage is
designed to land in the ocean where it can be recovered for
reuse.
This ground test was ATK's first-ever demonstration of joint
severance on a simulated first stage and was the first in a series
of three Ares I-X First Stage tests scheduled to demonstrate
elements of the launch vehicle's joint severance capability.
The next two demonstration tests of
the system are scheduled for July 2008. During the second test, the
system will sever the first stage forward skirt extension from the
first stage frustum. The third test will again demonstrate
severance of the forward skirt and the forward skirt extension
joint.
Ares I first stage is comprised of a five-segment reusable
booster developed from the twin four-segment boosters used to
launch the space shuttle. Unlike the shuttle, Ares I is an in-line
launch vehicle design with a crew capsule on top. Instead of a nose
cone, the booster will connect to the upper stage with an
attachment called a frustum. This design requires the first stage
to be separated at the top, rather than falling off the side of the
external tank as with the space shuttle.
Ares I and the Orion crew exploration vehicle will become
America's primary space transportation system after the space
shuttle is retired in 2010. Ares I will continue to service the
International Space Station and eventually send humans to the moon.
ATK is the prime contractor for the Ares I first stage
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