NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Ares I Design and Development Underway at Glenn

Glenn is leading several major activities in support of the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle -- the rocket that will carry a new generation of space explorers into orbit.

Image right: The Ares I crew launch vehicle is on a path to make its first test flight in 2009 and its first crewed mission to the International Space Station in 2014.

Glenn's efforts will focus on three areas of the Ares I crew launch vehicle: design of upper stage subsystems, design and fabrication of simulators for the first Ares I-1 flight test and thermal vacuum testing of the J-2X engine. This article highlights the first of these three areas, the design of the subsystems. Future articles will cover the other two areas in greater detail.

"What sets this work apart from the other Constellation activities -- and really excites and motivates the NASA workforce -- is the fact that the upper stage is a NASA-led design effort through Critical Design Review," said Scott Graham, chief of Glenn's Launch Systems Projects Office. "We are designing a key part of America’s next human space transportation system that will fly for decades to come."

Within the Constellation Program, Ares I is a two-stage vehicle that launches the crew aboard Orion to low-earth orbit. Glenn is contributing its skills and experience in the following areas (managed by Glenn's Launch Systems Projects Office):

Thrust Vector Control System
Glenn is leading the design, development and testing of the Upper Stage Thrust Vector Control (TVC) subsystem. This involves design, development and testing of the TVC subsystem that is used to support the Upper Stage J-2 engine in a horizontal plane during its flight to keep the vehicle on its proper trajectory. The center's Engineering Systems Division is performing the majority of the work, while Glenn's Safety and Mission Assurance organization, Marshall Space Flight Center and Kennedy Space Center support the TVC team.

Electrical Power and Power Distribution System
Glenn is leading the design of the upper stage electrical power system, which will involve designing of the battery and power distribution and control system that provides the primary source of electrical power to the rocket's entire upper stage. The Advanced Electrical Systems Branch performs the majority of the work, with support from other Glenn organizations and Marshall Space Flight Center engineering.

Flight Instrumentation Package
Glenn also is leading the design efforts for the Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) package for the upper stage. The DFI package is the set of sensors and instrumentation that will fly on the Ares I and Orion test flights to gather additional engineering data during these important development flights. The majority of the DFI work at Glenn is performed within the Engineering Systems Division.

Leak Detection Sensors and Sensor Data
Glenn is developing a miniature hydrogen/oxygen leak detection sensor that will be used throughout the upper stage to detect propellant leaks that might develop prior to launch or during the mission. Glenn also is responsible for sensor data qualification. The Instrumentation and Controls Division performs the majority of the work.

Purge System
Glenn is designing the purge system that will flush out the various compartments associated with the upper stage such as the interstage adapter and the forward instrument unit. The Thermal and Fluids Systems Branch conducts this work.

Hazardous Gas Detection System
Glenn is responsible for designing the hazardous gas detection system for the upper stage, which is used to detect leaks prior to launch. The Engineering and Technical Services Directorate is performing this work.

Upper Stage Systems Engineering and Integration
Glenn provides systems engineering support to both the overall Ares I vehicle as well as the upper stage. This support work includes mission design and analysis led by the Space Propulsion and Mission Analysis Office, as well as several independent verification and validation tasks and other systems engineering and integration tasks performed by the Engineering and Technical Service Directorate and other Glenn organizations.

"Glenn expects most of these current Ares I roles and responsibilities to continue on to the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle and its Earth Departure Stage," said Graham.

For more information on NASA’s Constellation Program, visit www.nasa.gov

For more information on NASA’s Ares Launch Vehicles, visit www.nasa.gov/ares

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Doreen Zudell
NASA's Glenn Research Center