LIVE: Ares I-X Countdown and Launch ATTEMPT 2 Updates

[thomasafb]

Q: Why are you having a difficult time selling to outsiders that you are "on-time" with this project?

A: I don't know of any data about issues like TO, didn't see any.  We are keeping our heads down and pushing forward with the project.  We had Orion PDR successful.  And a successful 5 seg booster test.  I can't speak for others.  Challenged from budget perspective.  Opinions of others vary, and we still need to understand Augustine report's suggestions.

No mention of the MLAS test they did this summer.....

[ugordan]

Q: Been 37 years since we left earth orbit. There is a push for commercial spaceflight, without background experience. 

This from Jay Barbree, taking a classic snipe at SpaceX with its "1 in 5 successful flights" and completely ignoring any existence of ULA and its success record. Makes me sick to my stomach already.

[generic_handle_42]

Q: Do you feel vindicated today?

A: Vindication doesn't describe it well.  It is more a sense of validation of our course of action.  Shows the "flyability" of this design.  Performance was very pleasing... incredibly satisfying for the team.  Ares 1 guidance algorithms flew the vehicle and returned the booster.

[John44]

 Ares I-X Launch Replays
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5466

[generic_handle_42]

Q: Any problems encountered?

A: Very few problems encountered up until yesterday with all the little things like weather.  Need to look at data for the flight.  Looked just like our plans, but more spectacular.

Q: ChrisG!: The probe cover... would it have hindered the flight had it not come off?

A:  We figured we should pull as much as we could before trying anyting else.  We have simulated flying with the cover on.  When it happened we knew what to expect.  Can't say whether we would have flown or not, though.

[psloss]

Thanks to Chris G for specifically asking about the sep dynamics.

[generic_handle_42]

Q: Did stages contact?

A: Hard to tell.  We need to look at the data.  We know the booster sep motors fired as planned, but don't know if any other conditions affected it.  It was interesting, though.

Q: Did you ever want to shake your fist at the weather gods?

A:  I wish Kathy Winters was here.  She did a tremendous job searching for the right conditions to launch.  We would have liked more chances, but I was happy that we didn't go yesterday, since we would have lost it in the clouds.

[Chris Bergin]

Thanks to Chris G for specifically asking about the sep dynamics.

Very good question, especially the wording - especially when compared to my reaction on here when watching live!

[ChrisC]

I lost video briefly during the separation dynamics, so hopefully will get to see this better...

Sorry if this was already covered in thread, still catching up.  The NASA TV feed (over satellite) had trouble right after separation, for about 20 seconds.  I'll be checking my recordings to see what the deal was, but there was definitely a problem there.  Internet may have been fine, but cable would definitely have seen the problem.

For the record, the NASA TV outage was indeed 20 seconds long.  On the two SD feeds, the bug (logo in upper right corner) persisted, which implies a camera or master control problem.  On the HD feed, the bug disappeared, which implies a master control or distribution problem.

Therefore, I think NASA TV's master control crashed at this point, and I'm glad it waited until sep to do so!

Glad to see that NSF is back up   ChrisB, you should have posted something to your Twitter account about the NSF outage ...

[generic_handle_42]

I'm not even gonna cover the question about the additional plume and such. 

Q: How significant was roll torque?

A: We saw roll control do 3 firings today.  Sims showed 20-25 times fired.  Much less than expected.  It is another data point showing that this roll torque is very small.  Flight tests like this help reduce uncertainties.

Edit: Spelling

[smith5se]

Thanks to Chris G for specifically asking about the sep dynamics.

Yes indeed, kudos to him for asking.  I really enjoyed the quip of "it was designed to tumble," after the long detailed answer Bob (I believe it was) gave.

I wonder how different sep would have been for a full 5-seg instead of the dummy 5th stage.

Edit: Adjusted punctuation.

[Jim]

Also remember we are used to seeing separations of powered 2nd stages...

Atlas and Delta have unpowered separations

Sorry Jim, i'm being ambiguous in my haste. I mean of vehicles that have actual powered upper stages..rather than dummy simulators.

I meant powered in that respect, as in real rather than dummy. 

Dynamics are not different

[MikeEarnest]

I watched the launch from all the available views and noticed a few things that I hope the experts on here can comment about.

1.  At SRB ignition I noticed the vehicle appeared to "pitch", by that I mean that from the side view the SRB base moved slightly to the left and the Escape Tower appeared to move slightly right less than 2 seconds after ignition.  Is this what it was supposed to do.  I am only talking about a .5 degree or 1 degree pitch.

2.  At SRB separation the booster appeared stable, where the upper stage did not appear to separate cleanly and began to tumble emmediately.  In the CGI sim the opposite was true, where the booster tumbled and the dummy upper stage fired separatioin motors and proceeded straight and true.

Overall it appeared to be a very stable flight with none of the violent rolling and instability that was predicted by some, let alone the G forces staying very close to 3gs for the duration of the flight.

I look forward to responses.

[ugordan]

HD version of the launch, slightly better quality tracking shots:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/H0ZHzAvFuYc&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/H0ZHzAvFuYc&rel=1</a>

[generic_handle_42]

Q: From watching a lot of countdowns, the internal comms seemed a little rocky... is that a fair assessment?

A:  Comms is different than shuttle launches.  Prime launch team did outstanding.  Communications areas will be improved through more flight tests.  This was a learning experience.  We will take lessons from it.  Range and weather communications and support were outstanding.

Q:  What messages do you want the test flight to send to the next generation?

A:  This is fun fun stuff!  This is the time to come join us.  This is the sort of thing that inspired us.  There is interest in going beyond LEO, so this is an exciting time.  This is about people, discovery, and learning things for society and our country.  It proves that anything is possible.  NASA and the space program can do anything and this helps prove anything is possible.  But it is the people that make it happen.