Ares 1-X Test Launch

[FL_Native]

Today we will attempt to launch the Space Shuttle replacement again... "today's launch is the first test of the Ares I rocket NASA is designing to carry astronauts after the space shuttle is retired. The unmanned test rocket, called Ares I-X, is powered only by a four-segment shuttle solid rocket booster. Everything above that is a mock-up."

Wednesday October 28, 2009 6:46 James Dean

[FL_Native]

Though some of you might find this interesting. http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/

[FL_Native]

http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/

[Doogle]

same conditions as yesterday

[FL_Native]

Similar, but a little better today. The winds are not as high and I think there is less chance of clouds.

[Eye of Unk]

Seems like an awfully delicate propulsion package, I bet they scrub again if a seagull poops on it.

[Eye of Unk]

T minus 13 minutes

[Eye of Unk]

Big crowd, one person!

[Red_Devil 232]

Delayed again - now pushed to 9:08 eastern. Doubt it will today.

[Eye of Unk]

Interesting little mini documentary on the chute packing process a minute ago on the NASA channel.

[BigSkyFreeper]

According to their Twitter page, "Ares I-X launch now targeted between 8:45 and 9:00 a.m. EDT"

[Eye of Unk]

I think I am going to dig out an old DVD from my library starring Jodie Foster, I think its called Contact, because the images of that scene where they built that huge device at the Cape were awesome.

[Doogle]

..don’t the winds pick up around 9am?

[Tolsti2]

That is Contact. I just watched it on Blu-ray, really good stuff.

[FL_Native]

They could, but usually the sea breeze doesn’t kick in till noon.

[Eye of Unk]

I have an 800 plus DVD library of all widescreen DVDs of all the really good movies ever since the first DVd of Stargate, I bought a Bluray player earlier this year and it definitely cleans up a regular DVD imagewise on my 57” 1080P Toshiba DLP or my 50” Plasma though its only a 720P.

Hopefully more of the older films will get remastered on BD, actually I have coming in the mail right now the first season of Star Trek the Original Series in Bluray.

[Eye of Unk]

They have pulled the gantry away, people are still on gantry it appears. Still at 4 minute hold.

[Eye of Unk]

I wonder if any engineer has ever thought of basically building a huge vertical gun barrel the width of a rocket assembly thats say several hundred feet deep and use say a piston and hydrothermal steam expansion to start an initial launch, just idly thinking. A giant steam cannon.

[Renegade]

Think they’ll put “The Phantom Planet” and “ Battle of the Worlds” on Blu-Ray ?

[Eye of Unk]

Thats a good question, I would love to see a fair amount of the 50 and 60’s era sci-fi films on a widescreen and remastered.

[Tolsti2]

NEW LAUNCH TIME. The launch team has officially set a new launch time of 8:30 a.m. EDT, but preparations could take longer.

[Renegade]

$.25 Sat. aft movies and a squirt gun filled with cheap perfume .

[Eye of Unk]

I get laid off due to seasonal work plus I am in Alaska so I spend a lot of idle time at home through the winter, thats why I have such a big library and two widescreens in the house, one for the family and one for me. Usually the best deals are the TV series sets, I have yet to finish all of my Hawaii 50, last year it was the complete series of Magnum PI, and lately I am buying the BD version of Star Trek The Original Series, I heard the remastering and sound upgrade is superb.

[sr4402]

[Eye of Unk]

I remember the days when a local movie house had the .25 cent all day weekend movie marathons, one time I spent 13 hours straight watching all the Clint Eastwood movies, this was back in the early 70’s.

[Pistolshot]

Google Gerald Vincent Bull

[FL_Native]

Just reported on the Florida Today blog...
“NASA is still targeting a launch between 9 a.m. and 9:15 a.m., weather permitting. But there is no official launch time yet. Wednesday October 28, 2009 8:08 Mara Bellaby”

I believe Mara is a NASA rep.

[Eye of Unk]

I am familiar with the Iraq Supergun, what I was thinking of is an underground tube instead, a vertical launch system. Or use a magnetic launch design like many theme parks have for modern rollercoasters.

[Pistolshot]

The issues are moving that much mass to the sustained velocity needed to reach orbit. After the projectile leaves the 'barrel' it will lose velocity.

The G forces at initial launch would destroy most components.

Now for interstellar travel, creating a polarizing magnetic field around the craft to generate propulsion might be workable in a vacuum.

[Eye of Unk]

I could think of ways that such a design could work, in as such as that approach. But the most promising idea I have ever read about was the super strong material that was used as a cable to space, it was firmly anchored by a million ton base and went far enough into space that the far end achieved a stationary orbit, its basically a space elevator with a station in space.

The series books Red, Blue and Green Mars went into detail of the construction of the space elevator and its impact on space travel.

[jwparkerjr]

re: same conditions as yesterday

Except that maybe then can keep a merchant ship from wandering into the restricted zone and preventing the launch during the brief break they had in the weather.

I would have sent the navy to sink the ship. Pretty harsh I guess, but it would sure make it apparent to everyone to pay attention to where they are at any moment!

[jwparkerjr]

re: Contact

I never saw the movie but a friend told me the first two minutes or so were simply awesome. I forget what it was that impressed him but I’ve not forgotten what he said!

[jwparkerjr]

Maybe not an engineer, but Jules Verne had that very idea a long time ago!

[Eye of Unk]

I’m going to slip it in the BD player in a little bit.

[Doogle]

it apparent to everyone to pay attention to where they are at any moment!

cept brits insisting pirates are not there...aw, they only want big ships

[BulletBobCo]

Picking up the count in 25 minutes

[Doogle]

thanks I got fox on now...thought it would cover

[Straight Vermonter]

A lot of his equipment is still here although the site has been abandoned and is very overgrown.

[BulletBobCo]

Still Obamanizing as to when they will actually pick up the count.

[FL_Native]

Now they’re saying 10:30

[Eye of Unk]

NASA is trying for “the perfect launch” so as to get the most out of 700 sensors monitoring stresses on this rocket.

This could get scrubbed again.

[Red_Devil 232]

Yep! When you spend Billions of dollars on one rocket to replace the Shuttle and to launch future space exploration you need to make this test launch as perfect as possible.

I want to see it go but I can wait.

[FL_Native]

They also have to be able to destroy it if something goes wrong, something that isn't available with a manned launch. The upper level clouds could create static that would interfere with the destruct signal. The weather is beautiful just a thin layer of high level clouds.

[CJ Wolf]

If you can design a spaceship to get to and work in space, how come you cant launch it in a little rain or wind. These things need to be a bit more tough and be able to withstand the elements. Stop building these pansy rockets.

[Eye of Unk]

First we need to stop electing pansy presidents.

[BulletBobCo]

Now 1100 Eastern

[Red_Devil 232]

Well they have designed the “spaceship” to get to and work in space. The launch vehicle is designed to get the “spaceship” there. This launch is to gather data to make sure the launch vehicle can do its job, which is to launch men safely into space. It is not a missile.

[Red_Devil 232]

In 5 mins.?????

[Red_Devil 232]

Gees the One has to be on TV! Wonder if the Ares goes if FOX will switch to the launch? If it happens.

[Red_Devil 232]

It is going! NOW

[Red_Devil 232]

Looked like a very strange seperation of the first stage???

Was it just the camers angle? But it looked like the upper stage and the solid rocket motor went horizontal to each other!