At 11:30 AM local time on the 28th (11:30 PM Beijing time yesterday), although the sea mist had not yet dispersed, NASA’s “Ares I-X” rocket roared into the sky from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is the most powerful rocket ever built by humanity, and its launch produced the loudest sound ever recorded at the Kennedy Space Center.
Forty years after Apollo 11 launched from this same site to land on the moon, the Kennedy Space Center is determined to return to the moon. This launch represents the first step in America’s journey back to the lunar surface.
Watching the Spectacle of the Launch
After a postponement the previous day and numerous delays yesterday, the weather over the Kennedy Space Center finally became suitable for launch. At 11:30 AM, the space center announced “Go” via its website, television, and radio stations.
The rocket emitted a brilliant flash of fire, followed by a massive roar. The ground began to tremble, and even those watching from across the water could feel the shockwaves in the air.
The Sea Seemed to Shake
Due to uncooperative weather, the Kennedy Space Center canceled the launch of the “Ares I-X” rocket on the 27th. Regarding the specific reasons, reporters called Allard Beutel, the news director of the space center. He explained that the cloud conditions on the morning of the 27th were consistently poor and might not have met the weather requirements for launch.
Allard explained to reporters that cloud layers can interfere with communication between the ground and the rocket. Furthermore, friction with the clouds can generate dangerous static charges, increasing the risk of launch failure.
Additionally, on the night before the launch, there was significant lightning in the waters near the “Ares I-X.” To ensure safety, the Kennedy Space Center re-inspected all equipment and found no abnormalities.
The re-inspection of equipment delayed the launch by about an hour, with the space center setting the first attempt for 9:00 AM.
Around 9:30 AM, a NASA T-38 trainer jet took off. Astronaut Chris Ferguson, commander of International Space Station missions STS-115 and STS-126, piloted the aircraft to survey the weather conditions along the launch trajectory.
At 11:26 AM, the space center finally started the 4-minute countdown clock. The “Ares I-X” launch officially entered its final countdown. At 11:30 AM, a flash of fire erupted from the launch pad, and the “Ares I-X” rocket slowly ascended into the sky.
Half a minute later, the thunderous roar reached the observers. The sea surface seemed to vibrate. By this time, the “Ares I-X” had already entered the cloud layer and was no longer visible.
When it reached an altitude of 39.62 kilometers, the first-stage booster separated and used parachutes to fall into the sea for recovery. The rocket continued to an altitude of 45.72 kilometers before beginning its descent, eventually landing in the Atlantic Ocean, 237 kilometers from the US mainland. This launch was intended to collect data; the “Ares I-X” second stage was merely a “hollow shell,” and the rocket did not enter outer space orbit.
The entire process, from ignition to splashing down in the target area, lasted only two minutes.
Slight Decrease in Spectators
The number of people on the beach on the 28th was slightly lower than the previous day, but astronomy and photography enthusiasts remained persistent, keeping their tripods ready.
Yesterday morning, Florida recorded its highest temperature for late October in history. It was so hot on the beach that many people returned indoors to cool off while waiting. Finally, after hours of waiting, the sound of the countdown echoed through the crowd. Everyone rushed back to the beach, and at the moment of launch, the sounds of camera shutters and cheers rose in succession.
Understanding the Technicalities of the Launch
Startup: Very Different from the Space Shuttle
The test flight of the “Ares I-X” rocket officially begins when the countdown clock hits zero, but the final seconds before launch are starkly different from most missions. According to Ed Mango, the launch director for the “Ares I-X”: “When the Space Shuttle launches, the main engines start about 6 seconds before liftoff. At 3 seconds before liftoff, they reach full thrust, and steam appears in the final 3 seconds. However, in this launch, none of those steps will be seen. You won’t see anything until the countdown hits zero, at which point the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) ignites, similar to the shuttle’s boosters.”
The “Ares I-X” rocket launches within a quarter of a second after the ignition command is issued. Four explosive hold-down bolts fire, releasing the rocket from the mobile launch platform. Mango said, “The moment we ignite the booster is the moment the game begins.”
In less than half a second, the powerful engine generates approximately 1.36 million kilograms of thrust. Computer simulations show that the roar of the rocket will echo around the launch tower, adding to the intensity of the noise environment in the first few seconds after launch. In addition to the test instruments installed on the rocket itself, the launch pad and mobile platform are equipped with 49 sensors to measure the performance of the ground systems.
Liftoff: Vertical Ascent from the Launch Pad
Mango stated: “The liftoff of the ’Ares I-X’ is similar to the Space Shuttle and will produce a deafening sound. It takes five or six seconds for the launch pad to return to silence.” He expressed confidence in the rocket’s ability to handle the acoustic loads, even if they are louder than those produced by the shuttle.
“Ultimately, the most important factor is vibration,” Mango said. “Therefore, when we determine structural integrity, vibration data is included in the computer models to ensure we can easily handle the launch environment.”
When the Space Shuttle launches, it moves slightly to one side as it clears the pad. Unlike the shuttle, the “Ares I-X” rocket ascends almost directly vertically. To account for this, engineers planned a slight maneuver immediately after liftoff to guide the “Ares I-X” away from the launch tower.
According to engineers’ best predictions, the distance between the “Ares I-X” and the launch tower is approximately 4.5 meters. NASA officials are not worried about the rocket hitting the tower; they simply want to minimize the potential damage from the hot exhaust plumes as the engine leaves the tower.
Control: Four Manual Command Inputs
The Roll Control System (RoCS) activates 6 seconds after launch, just as the rocket clears the top of the launch tower and begins its eastward flight. The RoCS thrusters are modified from the US military’s “Peacekeeper” ICBM. In a vacuum, they can produce about 1020 kilograms of thrust, allowing the rocket to make a 90-degree turn immediately.
According to NASA officials, the RoCS will demonstrate the controllability of the rocket and align the antennas with ground stations. Technicians will input four sets of commands into the “Ares I-X” onboard computer to judge the rocket’s response to manual control loads. According to Mango, the commands “basically tell the rocket to move to one side, move to the center, move to the other side, and move back. This sine-wave signal input should cause the rocket to move slightly, and we will receive data from the sensors.”
The first two command inputs occur less than a minute after liftoff, moving the first-stage engine nozzle by one-tenth of a degree. The third test maneuver occurs 75 seconds after launch, aiming for a nozzle turn of at least one-third of a degree. The final test involves a 1-degree turn to check the rocket’s response to deviations in flight direction.
Mango stated that as the rocket completes this phase of flight—which involves maximum dynamic pressure—additional nozzle movements will be minimized. This is because engineers want to measure how the rocket naturally responds to the maximum forces it encounters. According to model predictions, the maximum load per square foot (approx. 0.09 square meters) on the “Ares I-X” will reach about 392 kilograms, slightly higher than the force experienced during a shuttle launch.
Interview with Kennedy Space Center Media Lead:
We Built a Space Taxi
Immediately after the successful launch, reporters reached Amber Philman, the media lead for the Kennedy Space Center. Although she sounded very busy, Amber graciously accepted the interview due to a prior appointment.
Reporter: Why was a traditional rocket chosen to replace the Space Shuttle? Isn’t the shuttle cooler?
Amber: Generally speaking, it’s because NASA’s current direction has changed. We are no longer solely pursuing advanced technology for its own sake. If we maintained the original projects and funding levels, we might end up going nowhere. Clearly, we cannot spend money like we used to. In the past, NASA could do many “crazy” things, but to return to the moon, we had to find a safe and reliable method.
Reporter: Since the “Constellation Program” was approved during the Bush administration, why is there still concern about funding?
Amber: There is a timing issue. The International Space Station is scheduled to close around 2015, and the “Ares I” won’t be developed until 2017 at the earliest. This means that between 2017 and the 2020 moon landing, the “Ares I” would have nowhere to fly. As you know, having nothing to do means budget cuts; that is a very realistic concern.
We even considered handing the “Ares” rocket over to commercial space companies for launch and establishing long-term cooperation with them, which could save a lot of effort. However, this idea was quickly overturned. After all, it involves astronaut safety, and commercial companies are not yet considered the most reliable for this.
Reporter: What is NASA’s detailed plan for the next step?
Amber: NASA’s long-term plan is to establish a permanent base on the moon and then use it as a foundation to launch manned spacecraft to Mars. Therefore, there must be a stable and convenient corridor to transport cargo to the moon over the long term. In the long-term plan, the “Ares V,” responsible for cargo transport, will be the main workhorse. The “Ares I” will step aside after completing its mission.
The “Ares V” will be like a taxi between the Earth and the Moon, carrying both people and luggage.
Predictions
Funding Shortages and Delays: Debut May Become a Farewell Performance
The Washington Post reported that because the “Ares I” project and the entire “Constellation Program” are too expensive, President Obama might choose to cancel “Ares I.” Critics argue that this type of rocket is too costly, underpowered, and technically flawed. The New York Times further pointed out that the biggest problem is that “Ares I” is arriving too late.
NASA originally hoped that “Ares I” could succeed the current Space Shuttle fleet as early as 2012, but that date has now been pushed back to 2015. An independent expert committee appointed by Obama to evaluate the progress of the “Constellation Program” believes that the first operational launch of “Ares I” might not happen until 2017.
The independent committee therefore suggested that even if NASA receives the necessary funding, it should abandon the “Ares I” project and instead focus on developing the more cost-effective, flexible, and powerful “Ares V” rocket. Under the “Constellation Program,” NASA intends to develop the “Ares V” to send the “Orion” manned spacecraft into lunar orbit by 2020, using the “Altair” lunar lander to achieve a moon landing and establish a scientific research base, preparing for the next step of sending humans to Mars and beyond.
This launch is the first step of NASA’s “Constellation Program.” The US is scheduled to retire all Space Shuttles next year. The goal of the “Constellation Program” is to develop a new generation of spacecraft and launch vehicles to help American astronauts return to the moon and explore Mars.
After “Ares I-X,” NASA plans to test the “Orion” spacecraft and conduct a test flight of the “Ares I-Y” rocket in 2014, followed by a joint test of the “Ares I” rocket and the “Orion” spacecraft. The US hopes to use this new equipment to send astronauts to the International Space Station by 2015 at the earliest and achieve a return to the moon by 2020.
However, President Barack Obama is currently reviewing the future space missions proposed by his predecessor, George W. Bush.
The “Constellation Program” budget was originally $28 billion, but it has now ballooned to at least $44 billion.
An independent committee led by Norman Augustine, former CEO of Lockheed Martin, submitted a report to Obama last week, concluding that Bush’s space plan is extremely costly and “appears unsustainable.”
The report suggests that “Ares I” might not be capable of sending astronauts to the International Space Station until 2017 and recommends allowing private companies to develop spacecraft for transporting astronauts. Meanwhile, NASA could focus on developing the “Ares V” rocket, which has a much larger payload capacity. It could transport 206 tons of payload to low Earth orbit and 78 tons to solar orbit.
“Ares” Test Flight Returns with Injuries
According to news from Sina Technology on October 30, NASA stated on the 29th that due to a parachute issue, the booster rocket used in the “Ares I-X” test flight suffered a significant dent after falling into the Atlantic. The “Ares I-X” is a precursor to the planned lunar rockets and completed a successful 2-minute test flight on the 28th. Officials stated that the launch process was very smooth, but one of the three parachutes on the booster malfunctioned.
According to NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel, all three parachutes opened successfully, but one deflated for unknown reasons. This failure caused the booster to hit the Atlantic with more energy than intended. After workers recovered the first-stage booster—which is similar to those used for the Space Shuttle—from the Atlantic, they found a dent near the bottom. The first-stage booster is expected to be brought ashore on the 30th.
The “Ares I-X” is a prototype for a rocket intended to replace the Space Shuttle and perform lunar missions, but the White House may “kill” the plan. According to the original schedule, the Space Shuttle Atlantis is set to launch on November 16 for a space station delivery mission. An unmanned rocket is also scheduled to launch on November 14 carrying a communications satellite. Due to the one-day delay of the Ares launch, the launch of Atlantis will be pushed back to the 17th.
Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Operations, stated that the parachute failure of the “Ares I-X” would not affect the launch of Atlantis. Their parachutes use different designs. Notably, the Space Shuttle program has also experienced parachute issues. During the launch of Discovery in August, a parachute on one of the boosters suffered a slight tear. Fortunately, the other parachutes functioned correctly, and the recovered booster was unharmed. Engineers still do not know what caused the parachute to tear.
Testing “Ares”: 2-Minute Flight Costs $445 Million
A massive rocket soared from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 28, reaching a top speed of 3,000 miles per hour (4,830 km/h) and an altitude of 45 kilometers. Although the entire flight lasted only 2 minutes, this first step in America’s return to the moon cost $445 million.
Two More Tests: Full Version to Launch in 2014
NASA will conduct two more similar tests in the future. The fully functional “Ares I-Y” rocket is scheduled to launch in 2014. As for the “Orion” manned spacecraft intended to be carried by the rocket, it will be tested at a later date.
NASA had been preparing for this launch for a long time. Launch project director Mango said: “Ground control is ready, and the rocket is ready to go.” Another official, Cook, also said: “This test flight is of great significance. Regardless of the outcome, the test data is very important.”
News sources include Xinhua Net, CNS, Sina, etc. We thank them for their efforts.
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