Ares 1-X Test Launch Scrubbed for Today (Oct 27)

The test launch or the Ares 1-X rocket (the test vehicle for the Ares 1) has been scrubbed for today, due to weather.

The Ares 1 is the new crew launch vehicle that is to replace the space shuttle as the NASA's method for launching humans into space. The shuttle is being retired after next year. NASA is also designing the Ares V heavy-lift vehicle, which will replace the shuttle as the method for launching heavy payloads. The Ares V will not be ready for testing for several years.

The Ares 1 and Ares V are the main vehicles in NASA's early plans to return to the Moon and for manned missions to Mars.

The test flight of this Ares 1-X will only last 2 minutes before the bottom half parachutes into the ocean (while the top half crashes into the ocean), but NASA intends to gather a lot of data during those 2 minutes.

They haven't set a new time/date for the test launch of Ares 1-X, but it could be as early as tomorrow. I'll update you when I hear something.

Links:
Ares 1
Ares V


[edit on 10/27/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

UPDATE:

They decided on a 24-hour turn-around time, so they will try to launch tomorrow at 8:00 AM EDT (Noon GMT).

The launch window tomorrow will be the same as it was today, which was 4 hours. Therefore the launch window will be from 8:00 AM to Noon EDT (Noon to 4:00 PM GMT).


[edit on 10/27/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]