Ares I-X Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Integrated Product Team Concept of Operations Overview		Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Manufacturing and Assembly at Glenn Research Center (GRC)		Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Integration and Launch at Kennedy Space Center
Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Manufacturing at Glenn Research Center		Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Integration and Launch at Kennedy Space Center		Transportation of Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Hardware Glenn Research Center (GRC) Internal and from GRC to Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
Ares Manufacturing Facility Beta Stand US-2 Segment		Ares Manufacturing Facility Gamma Stand US-3 Segment		Ares I-X Upper Stage Simulator Integrated Product Team Upper Stage Simulator (USS) Overview
		Building on a Foundation of Proven Technologies Launch Vehicle Comparisons   Ares I Elements

Ares I–X Flight Test

Scheduled for 2009, Ares I–X is planned to be the first test flight of the Ares I vehicle. The test flight objectives are focused on first-stage flight dynamics, controllability, and separation of the first and upper stages. The Ares I–X flight will consist of a functional booster stage and an upper stage mass simulator, which has the same mass as the actual upper stage. By flying the vehicle through the first stage, the test flight will also verify the performance and dynamics of the shuttle’s solid rocket booster in “single stick” arrangement. (The usual shuttle configuration is two rocket boosters with one external fuel tank.)

In supporting this test flight, Glenn is responsible for the design, fabrication, and testing of various components of the upper stage mass simulator, spacecraft adapter, service module, and interstage (the lower part of the upper stage that separates from the booster). This flight hardware will be built in-house and tested at Glenn facilities. Read more...

 

Contact at NASA Glenn Research Center
Manager, Ares I-X GRC Elements: Vincent J. Bilardo
Space Flight Systems Directorate / Launch Systems Project Office
216-433-3931