Amber Philman
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
amber.n.philman@nasa.gov

STATUS REPORT: ARES-I-X-071009

ARES I-X STATUS REPORT

Launch Vehicle: Ares I-X
Launch Date: Targeted for no earlier than August 30
Launch Pad: 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.


Ares I-X Flight Hardware

This week's milestones include:

- Super Stack 1 assembly is now complete with the attaching of the
forward assembly to the fifth segment simulator. Stack one is made up
of eight individual pieces: interstages 1 and 2, the frustum, the
forward skirt extension, the forward skirt and the aft, center and
forward segments of the fifth segment simulator. It also includes two
internal elements, the roll control system and the first stage
avionics module.

- The aft assembly, which comprises the aft skirt and aft motor
segment, was moved from the Rotation Processing and Surge Facility to
the Vehicle Assembly Building. It was lifted onto the Mobile Launcher
Platform in High Bay 3, signifying the beginning of stacking
operations.

- The aft center motor segment also was moved from the Rotation
Processing and Surge Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building and
attached to the aft assembly in High Bay 3.

- Camera installed on the upper stage simulator

Last week milestones completed include:

- Aft assembly closeouts

- VAB High Bay 3 stacking preparations

Next processing milestones:

- Instrumentation testing

- Stack 1 modal test

A series of sensors strategically located throughout the stack will
measure the amount and direction of movement, as the
electro-mechanical shakers impose random loads to determine the
rocket segment's first several bending modes. A comparison will be
made between predicted and measured mode shapes to verify the flight
dynamics model.

- Forward center motor segment stacking

Ares I-X Ground Support Equipment

- At Launch Pad 39B, modification are ongoing.


The gaseous vent arm, beanie cap and orbiter access arm have been
removed. The vehicle stabilization system is being built at the base
of the launch pad. The Ares I-X flight test will provide NASA an
early opportunity to check and prove hardware, analysis and modeling
methods, and facilities and ground operations needed to develop the
Ares I, which is NASA's next crew launch vehicle. The test also will
allow NASA to gather critical data during the ascent of the
integrated stack, which will help inform the design of the Ares I
rocket and the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The data will ensure
the entire vehicle system is safe and fully operational before
astronauts begin traveling in it to the International Space Station
and moon.

For more information about the Ares I-X flight test, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ares