NASA developing Ares rocket with iTunes

William Atkins
Friday, 28 November 2008 19:41

Science - Space

NASA is using iTunes to post video updates on the progress being made on its new manned space project, specifically the crew’s Ares I launch vehicle and the Ares V heavy launch vehicle for cargo transport to space.


According to the media report sent from the Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama), NASA uses iTunes to share development progress of Ares rocket, "The Ares Projects quarterly progress reports offer viewers a rare glimpse at the on-going development work of the next-generation launch vehicles that will take explorers to the moon and beyond in coming decades."

It adds, "Beginning in 2015, the Ares I rocket will launch the Orion crew capsule, carrying astronauts and payloads to the International Space Station.”

NASA is providing developmental details of these future Ares rockets with regards to its engine, various systems, and hardware components.

Watch these five-to-fifteen-minute video reports, which have been created every three months since August 2006.

The latest one, as of this date on November 28, 2008, shows: “Wind tunnel testing of scale models of the Ares I test vehicle, known as Ares I-X, and the Ares V rocket. The testing aids engineers in designing aerodynamic vehicles.”

It also describes “Disassembly and inspection of part of the J-2X engine -- known as the powerpack -- that will produce the thrust needed to power the Ares I rocket to orbit. The powerpack pushes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the engine's main combustion chamber. This test series helped address early design risks. Engineers are now evaluating hardware used as part of the recent testing.”

See page two for the rest of this iTunes video, along with where to go to view this iTunes video and other NASA Ares videos.