**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 \/ ORION LIVE UPDATE PAGES**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **ARES V \/ Mars LIVE UPDATE PAGES**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n **EXPLORATION ALTERNATIVES (DIRECT, EELV) PAGES**<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Ares I-X:<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Space Shuttle (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n The first Ares related test flight requires the freeing of High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and Pad 39B \u2013 which will first host STS-125\u2019s Launch On Need (LON) rescue shuttle (Endeavour\/LON-400) \u2013 being vacated for modifications ahead of Ares I-X. <\/p>\n However, a new problem has now come to light with the MLP (Mobile Launch Platform) that will be handed over from Shuttle to Constellation for the test flight. This problem relates to the stability of Ares I-X during rollout to the Pad. <\/p>\n The modifications to the MLP initially called for Ares I-X to be placed on one set of the existing Shuttle\u2019s Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) hold down posts, with a tower to be erected on the other set of hold down posts \u2013 with support for the vehicle between the tower and the interstage level. <\/p>\n When NASA changed contractors for the MLP work associated with Ares I-X, the design changed, omitting the adjacent tower, instead relying on three steel cables \u2013 120 degrees apart \u2013 to help hold the vehicle steady during rollout. <\/p>\n Given the projected weight of the vehicle at rollout \u2013 with a heavy dummy upper stage \u2013 additional stability is now being called for, leading to a redesign of the MLP support structure. <\/p>\n In combination with the projected delay to handing over Shuttle resources post STS-125, internal scheduling is showing 60 to 90 days worth of delay to Ares I-X\u2019s projected launch date.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Constellation-wide delays feared<\/u><\/em>: <\/p>\n As the Constellation Program project their budgetary requirements, the first of two \u2018Revs\u2019 of the PRM (Program Manager\u2019s Recommend) 08 are being conducted over the coming weeks. <\/p>\n However, that refinement \u2013 which is still ongoing \u2013 has failed to show any reduction of pressure on the Ares\/Orion schedule, with delays of six months to a year remaining in the latest source information. <\/p>\n At present, the threats relate to a six month delay to the first Ares I \u2018full up\u2019 test flight, along with the first manned Ares I flight continuing to be under serious schedule pressure, with 2015 and even 2016 in some circles being mentioned as the best case scenario. The schedule also threatens a one year delay of the return to the moon. <\/p>\n Budgetary pressure is classed as the main reason for the schedule moving to the right, though technical challenges with Ares I, and especially the Orion (606C) design cycle, are adding to the pressures.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Ares 1 Top Risks: Already known is Thrust Oscillation, classed as \u20183\u00d74\u2019 on the risk matrix for the first stage. This challenge holds the \u2018possibility that the thrust oscillation solutions will include significant changes to the first stage design.\u2019<\/p>\n First Stage Dynamics is classed as \u20183\u00d75\u2019 on the risk matrix, which refers to \u2018increased stack length and flexibility associated with the interstage and frustum,\u2019 and the \u2018potential that loads may exceed hardware capability, which could result in unacceptable dynamic responses.\u2019<\/p>\n Work on Thrust Oscillation is also continuing on the Ares I Upper Stage, classed on the risk matrix as \u20185\u00d74\u2019. The associated Tiger Team is continuing to work on identifying the loads. <\/p>\n Concerns are raised with the \u20184\u00d74\u2019 risk on the Vibro-Acoustic Loads, which are deemed \u2018greater than first expected, 44 g rms vs. 15 g rms, still waiting on loads data.\u2019 <\/p>\n Refined mass figures are also noted on acquired information, which lists Upper Stage Dry Mass as an \u2018Allocation 28,520 pounds, now estimated at 31,526 pounds. Asking for an allocation increase to 30,817 pounds,\u2019 along with Interstage Dry Mass \u2018allocation 7,270 pounds, now estimated at 7,398 pounds.\u2019<\/p>\n The other Upper Stage notes relate to the J2-X engine, with an allocation of 5,450 pounds, \u201cnow estimated at 5,577 pounds. (isp goal is 448, now estimated at 448.2).\u201d<\/p>\n Constellation Staff Meeting Notes also make a reference to the development process for the J2-X, which notes a test firing of an Apollo-era J2 engine at the Stennis Space Center. The engine was outfitted with the \u201csouped up\u201d pumps that were used during the testing of the X-33\u2019s linear aerospike engine.<\/p>\n \u201cHeld a 293-second test on the J-2X engine. Had a facility side anon valve cut off, which shortened the scheduled 550 second run. This is the third facility issue and they are working with Stennis to understand. They did capture good data this time,\u201d added the notes. <\/p>\n \u201cThe anon valve gives back pressure in the system and it has perennially been a problem; some valves are as old as the stand. The good news is that we\u2019re having it on a non-critical path item like power pack. This is the time to resolve the issues with the valves.\u201d<\/p>\n Another test firing for 550 seconds is due to occur at any time. An update will be forthcoming when that information in acquired. <\/p>\n At present, Ares I\u2019s estimated performance is currently 54,722 pounds to insertion target, with a 99.7 percent confidence level (an industry standard). <\/p>\n Orion (Command Module and Service Module fully fueled) had an allocation of 52,070 pounds until the weight scrubbing last November, the current weight allocation is 51,290 pounds, now estimated at 51,876 pounds. <\/p>\n The figures are all classed as pre-mitigation of the Thrust Oscillation issue \u2013 which has now gained widespread media attention. That fact has not been lost on the Constellation management, as noted in the Staff Meeting notes by manager Steve Cook. <\/p>\n \u201cA lot of press going on about thrust oscillation (TO) and the Government Accounting Office (GAO) report,\u201d added the minutes. \u201cCook said that what is interesting is that if you read below the headlines, most were pretty good. <\/p>\n \u201cThe ones that had the more negative slant on TO also had the more negative slant on the workforce reporting the day before\u2026..that the positive sense is that even bad press is good press. <\/p>\n \u201cThe focus is on the gap and whether NASA has been adequately funded to do the work they have. Even though the headlines read ugly, it is a program that exists and is funded, and now we need to keep the focus as pointed out by the others \u2013 the strategy for success is to get through the fall and on to the next team that comes onboard in January.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Constellation Program is continuing to push through technical and monetary challenges in an attempt to protect the long term schedule. The latest internal workings are currently being implemented into the Initial Operational Capacity (IOC) schedule, which shows the threat of delays range through the entire schedule \u2013 from the Ares I-X test flight, all […]<\/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-41436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41436"}],"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=41436"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41436\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41436"}],"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
Ares I-X now has little chance of making its April, 2009 launch date target, initially due to the delay of STS-125\u2019s flight to October. <\/p>\n
Initial information points to a continuing slide of the Initial Operational Capacity (IOC) schedule \u2013 as first noted in documentation acquired by this site in January, which pointed to $700m shortfall in the Constellation budget. However, this was deemed as an opening draft, with the figures to be refined over the coming months.<\/p>\n
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A refinement of the \u2018Top Risks\u2019 for the Ares I program was recently carried out, which represents the main challenges of the program via the often-used risk matrix \u2013 which is three to four columns based on \u2018Severity\u2019 and four to five columns high based on \u2018Likelihood\u2019.<\/p>\nInterestingly, Upper Stage Residual Mass, makes an appearance for the first time on the latest information, which appears to be a new factor recently discovered, due to the opening allocation of zero pounds. This is now \u201cestimated at 2,717 pounds\u201d \u2013 which is an additional hit on Ares I\u2019s figures.<\/p>\n