NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Ares I-X rolls to the pad. Langley analyses correctly concluded that the tall, slender rocket needed no additional supporting structure for rollout. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith

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The Langley-designed and built Orion launch abort system simulator. Langley also built the vehicle's crew module simulator, not pictured. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith.

By: Amy Johnson

NASA's Ares rocket was recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the top 50 best inventions of 2009, and the LAS earned a top innovation mention by Popular Science Magazine.

NASA’s Launch Abort System was named one of the year’s top innovations by Popular Science, a New York-based magazine specializing in science and technology. In the magazine’s December issue, themed “The Best of What’s New,” editors chose 100 innovations and then separated them by category. They were judged on how the innovation has pushed past what was thought possible 12 months ago. NASA’s LAS or “escape pod” was listed as the No. 6 innovation out of 10 in the space and aviation category.

Kevin Rivers at NASA Langley Research Center is the project manager for LAS. Rivers was thrilled with the distinction.

“The Launch Abort System team is honored that Popular Science has chosen NASA’s Launch Abort System as one of the top 100 innovations of 2009," Rivers said. "This innovative system is critical to the safety of the crew during the launch phase of flight, and it would not have been possible were it not for the dedication, hard work and ingenuity of the technical team from the NASA Langley Research Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Orbital and numerous suppliers.”

In the same week, TIME recognized the Ares 1 rocket. According to the article, which is posted on time.com and is in the Nov. 23 edition of Time magazine, "the Ares I rocket is the best and smartest and coolest thing built in 2009 -- a machine that can launch human beings to cosmic destinations we'd never considered before — is the fruit of a very old family tree, one with branches grand, historic and even wicked."

It’s been less than a month since the Ares 1-X rocket powered into the sky during a successful launch at Kennedy Space Center. The Ares 1-X team at Langley led the systems engineering and integration of the rocket and was responsible for the fabrication of the Crew Module/Launch Abort System (CM/LAS) simulator.

Marshall Smith, chief of SE&I at Langley, said in an email he sent to the Ares 1-X team, “I think it is very clear from this (successful launch) that you made a great impact on the space program and the nation. Thank you for your dedication!”

Other top inventions listed in the article included: the AIDS vaccine, NASA’s Mercury Probe and Philips Electronics’ 60-watt light bulb.

Time online readers are being invited to vote on their favorite invention of the 50 honored inventions. At last look the Ares 1 rocket was listed in 22nd place out of 50. To vote, go to:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934027_1934003_1933945,00.html#ixzz0Wes3DGEt.




 
NASA Langley Research Center
Managing Editor: Jim Hodges
Executive Editor and Responsible NASA Official: H. Keith Henry
Editor and Curator: Denise Lineberry