**The most comprehensive collection of Shuttle, Ares, Orion and ISS related presentations and mission documentation, plus expansive daily processing documentation and updates are <\/em>available to download on L2<\/em><\/font> **<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n **ARES I LIVE UPDATE PAGES**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **ORION\/Exploration Vehicles LIVE UPDATE PAGES**<\/em><\/p>\n **ARES V \/ Mars LIVE UPDATE PAGES**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **EXPLORATION ALTERNATIVES (DIRECT, EELV) PAGES**<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Spaceflight news subscription (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n Lunar Ares I Nozzle Extension Latest:<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Extended Nozzle \u2013 Ares First Stage: Increase Ares I nozzle expansion ratio from 7.2 to 9.3,\u2019 noted a Constellation presentation acquired by L2. \u2018Justification: Provide 1200-1300 lb increase in overall vehicle payload capability.\u2019<\/p>\n According to the presentation, a larger 10.25 expansion ratio was preferred as \u2018optimum\u2019 \u2013 though impacts to shipping, manufacturing, the TVC (Thrust Vector Control) hardware and the Mobile Launcher had to be considered in the approved ratio change.<\/p>\n \u20189.3 expansion ratio provides optimum performance with TVC attach constraints and manufacturing limitations,\u2019 cited the document.<\/p>\n However, the Ares I Mobile Launcher may still require a re-work, as noted im the Ground System Impacts, referencing a one year modification period between the ISS and lunar Ares I variants.<\/p>\n \u2018Mobile Launcher impacts: Current ML cannot accommodate extended nozzle,\u2019 added the presentation. \u2018Only one ML in baseline \u2013 would need to take ML out of flow for around one year to modify.<\/p>\n Originally, the nozzle extension was intended for both ISS and Lunar Ares I, and even the Ares V vehicle \u2013 as noted by Marshall Space Flight Center\u2019s Ares I First Stage Element Manager Alex Priskos in a November, 07 interview with this site.<\/p>\n \u2018We are evaluating a trade study to increase performance margin of the Ares I and V systems by using a slightly longer nozzle which uses the same aft skirt and related subsystems,\u2019 noted Priskos.<\/p>\n \u2018The trade study has been completed and is being reviewed by the Constellation Program. We will not release any information about the results until these briefings have been completed.\u2019<\/p>\n Now, via the new presentation, that modification has moved forward, with the decision to change the extension\u2019s implementation to a latter stage of Ares I\u2019s development, but in time for the opening missions to the moon at the end of the next decade.<\/p>\n \u2018Integrated Stack Technical Interchange Meeting (ISTIM) outcome: Defer the Ares I modification to Lunar (start of Ares I block upgrade strategy).\u2019<\/p>\n This decision helps the short-term development timeline of Ares I, allowing Ares I-Y \u2013 the second test flight for Ares I in around 2011 \u2013 to be developed as planned, as opposed to taking a five month hit with the new nozzle.<\/p>\n \u2018Post ISTIM: Ares I-Y schedule threat mitigated. Conduct trade study for the processing and interface\/hold down configurations to support implementation for Lunar mission to allow for a better definition of configuration and cost impacts.<\/p>\n \u2018Replanning of DAC (Design Analysis Cycles) for separate ISS and Lunar missions.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n ATK Test Fire:<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Thursday saw the manufacturer of the RSRMs \u2013 ATK \u2013 carry out another test firing of a four segment booster at their Utah test range, as part of \u2018continuous testing to improve performance and ensure safety of the space shuttle and to aid development of the first stage of Ares I.\u2019<\/p>\n The main element of the test firing for Ares I related to the gathering of data to aid in the development of the new Ares I vehicle and its launch pad, specifically acoustic environment measurements.<\/p>\n \u2018By collecting acoustic environment measurements, engineers can make better predictions of how the sound will affect the surrounding area,\u2019 noted ATK. <\/p>\n \u2018The shuttle program uses massive sprayers, called the water deluge system, to reduce the acoustic effects of the space shuttle propulsion systems as it lifts off.<\/p>\n \u2018A similar system is being developed for the Ares I and data collected from this test will play an important role in the final design.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/font>A crucial milestone will be achieved by ATK when they test fire a \u2018full up\u201d five segment booster next April, which will be the first real test of the larger motor. ATK have fired a five segment booster before, back in 2003, though it did not use the configuration that is being implemented for Ares I.<\/font><\/p>\n <\/font>Booster \u201cAge Life\u201d Test Element<\/font><\/u><\/em><\/p>\n <\/font>The second element of the test related to the \u201cAge Life\u201d certification of the boosters, a process which first came into focus ahead of STS-117 due to the requirement to extend the previous certified lifetime of five years, in order to allow Atlantis\u2019 boosters to fly with her on what was later launch date than originally planned.<\/font><\/p>\n <\/font>To that end, ATK presented extensive rationale on extending the lifespan from five years, to five and half years, avoiding what would have been a change of boosters for that mission.<\/font><\/p>\n Following PRCB (Program Requirements Control Board) approval, the decision relaxed the tight timeline on four sets of motors in total, namely RSRM-96, 97, 98 and 99, which were used on STS-117, 118, 120 and 122 respectively.<\/p>\n <\/font>The booster fired today was more than seven years old \u2013 the oldest RSRM ever fired, which will add further confidence on the margins of using booster hardware that is heading into the age range of five to five and a half years, and any subsequent extension \u2013 though no specific reference has been made with regards to this test \u2013 of the shuttle program past 2010.<\/font><\/p>\n <\/font>\u201cThis test is an example of the aggressive testing program NASA pursues to assure flight safety,\u201d said David Beaman, manager of the Reusable Solid Rocket Booster Project office at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center. \u201cIt also allows us to gather information on how motors with different ages perform.\u201d<\/font><\/p>\n <\/font><\/font>\u201cGround test firings provide valuable data to ensure the reliability and safety of space shuttle motors,\u201d added Ron Dittemore, president ATK Launch Systems.<\/font><\/p>\n Interestingly, ATK had already been looking into the age life certification of their motors for some time, with several expansive presentations (available on L2) outlining their findings with technical overviews of the motors, along with test history.<\/p>\n <\/font>That test history proved their confidence in being able to extend their lifetime certification of the motors, with evidence such as a 1993 firing of a 7.5 year old test motor, and history successful tests on \u201cchemically similar\u201d solids, such as a motor from a Minuteman missile, which was 39 years old.<\/font><\/p>\n <\/font>The results showed the subject materials did not age or interact significantly\/adversely for the five and a half year period to be approved. Thursday\u2019s test is likely to prove a healthy margin exists even past the recently changed certification period.<\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Constellation engineers are continuing work on an extension to the Ares I First Stage nozzle, which will provide an extra kick for the vehicle\u2019s assist of Orion\u2019s Lunar mission profiles. Meanwhile, ATK have successfully carried out a test firing of an old Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) \u2013 which enabled the gathering of additional data […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41425"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41425\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/em><\/font>All of this article is based on documented L2 information. For an overview of how L2 works, <\/em>**click here for sample**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n
The change to the nozzle on the Ares I First Stage RSRM is documented as increasing the performance of the vehicle for Lunar missions. It will no longer be implemented into the Ares I vehicle that will carry Orion on missions to the International Space Station (ISS).<\/p>\n
\u2018Proposed launch mount provides scar for protecting phased implementation of Nozzle extension for Lunar Ares I.\u2019<\/p>\n