Ares 1 DM 1 Test Firing Spectacular
Amid controversy over the future of NASA’s plans to return to the moon by 2020, the successful test firing of the Ares 1 DM 1 Rocket Motor was a welcome relief. Delayed a week due to faulty power unit, the spectacular test firing went without a problem and appears to have reached all expected goals. It will be weeks before all the data is analysed from the test, but pictures from the firing show a flawless result.
During the test, the booster generated 3.6 million pounds of thrust, equal to 22 million horsepower. Data from the current test will determine the casting characteristics of the second motor. The second test of the Ares Motor is scheduled for end of October.
At the end of the test firing of ARES 1, 30,000 lbs of CO2 was used to quench fires in the booster so that engineers could see the rocket in the condition it finished firing.
The 154ft Ares I first stage Development Motor (DM) includes a movable nozzle with a larger throat diameter and exit cone designed to improve overall performance. The solid rocket motor produced heat two-thirds the temperature of the sun and its 12-foot-diameter cylinder delivered 3.6 million pounds of thrust.
Photos courtesy of NASA.
