After several delays, NASA completed a brief test flight Wednesday of its new Ares I-X rocket.
The rocket, which could take humanity back to the moon and beyond, was launched yesterday morning. From start to finish the test took six minutes.
Wednesday’s launch, three years in the making, represented the first step in NASA’s effort to return astronauts to the moon. The White House, though, is re-evaluating the human spaceflight program and may dump the Ares I in favor of another type of rocket and possibly another destination.
The test flight attracted a large crowd.
The prototype moon rocket took off through a few clouds from a former shuttle launch pad at 11:30 a.m., 3{ hours late because of bad weather. Launch controllers had to retest the rocket systems after more than 150 lightning strikes were reported around the pad overnight. Then they had to wait out interfering rain clouds, the same kind that thwarted Tuesday’s try.
The ballistic flight did not come close to reaching space and, as expected, lasted a mere two minutes. That’s how long it took for the first-stage solid-fuel booster to burn out and separate from the mock upper stage 25 miles up. But it will take months to analyze all the data from the approximately 725 pressure, strain and acceleration sensors.
Parachutes popped open and dropped the booster into the Atlantic, where recovery ships waited.
The upper portion of the rocket — all fake parts — were hurtled to an estimated altitude of 28 miles and then fell uncontrolled into the ocean. Those pieces were never meant to be retrieved.
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