A small, dedicated team showcases NASA's entrepreneurial spirit with the assembly and rollout of the Ares I-X rocket.
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Mission: Ares I-X Flight Test
Launch Date: Oct. 28, 2009
Launch Time: 11:30 a.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39B
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Image above: A crane gently lowers a tenth and final tower segment toward the nine segments previously secured to a new mobile launcher. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
› Larger Image
February 2010
The tenth and final tower segment was secured on top of the mobile launcher, or ML. The tower is approximately 345 feet tall and has multiple platforms for personnel access.
Its base is lighter than space shuttle mobile launcher platforms so the crawler-transporter can pick up the heavier load of the tower and a taller rocket.
The construction is taking place at the mobile launcher park site area north of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building.
Additional Resources
› Ares I-X Flight Test Image Gallery
› Ares I-X Flight Test Site
› Ares I-X Flight Test Updates
› Launch Vehicle Height Comparisons (1 Mb pdf)
Launch Date: Oct. 28, 2009
Launch Time: 11:30 a.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39B
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Image above: A crane gently lowers a tenth and final tower segment toward the nine segments previously secured to a new mobile launcher. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller › Larger Image
February 2010
The tenth and final tower segment was secured on top of the mobile launcher, or ML. The tower is approximately 345 feet tall and has multiple platforms for personnel access.
Its base is lighter than space shuttle mobile launcher platforms so the crawler-transporter can pick up the heavier load of the tower and a taller rocket.
The construction is taking place at the mobile launcher park site area north of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building.
Additional Resources
› Ares I-X Flight Test Image Gallery
› Ares I-X Flight Test Site
› Ares I-X Flight Test Updates
› Launch Vehicle Height Comparisons (1 Mb pdf)
Features
Building an Original
History in Slow Motion
Apollo-era crawler transports third-generation space vehicle to the launch pad.
Firing Room 1: Adding One More "First"
Related Multimedia
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Aerial View of Ares I-X Flight Test
This footage provides extremely valuable engineering data, and imagery of the recovery sequence in rarely-seen detail.
› View This Video -
Ares I-X Lifts Off on Flight Test
The Ares I-X rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center to begin its flight test.
› View This Video -
Coverage Begins for Second I-X Try
The launch team assembles for the second attempt to begin the Ares I-X mission.
› View This Video
 "Ares I-X in flight.")
 "Ares I-X launches")
 "The Ares I-X on the launch pad.")
Ares I-X Flight Test Status
Multimedia Links
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Constellation Image Gallery
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