ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Workers at the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) here contributed to the successful unmanned, flight test of the NASA Ares 1-X flight vehicle today, which was launched for the first time. 

The Ares will replace the shuttle and is slated for completion in 2014. 

AEDC testing to date includes transonic (below the speed of sound), supersonic (speed of sound to approximately 4 times the speed) and hypersonic (greater than 4 times the speed of sound) wind tunnel work to include aerodynamic, stage separation, roll control, and the crew escape launch system. In addition, workers tested materials made to protect the manned capsule, known as Orion, during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. 

AEDC has tested all of NASA's manned spacecraft, beginning in the 1950s. 

The Ares I-X flight test will provide NASA an early chance to test and prove the new rocket's flight characteristics, hardware, facilities and ground operations. Additionally, the mission will help verify computer and wind tunnel models. 

The flight also will allow NASA to gather critical data during ascent of the integrated stack, which includes the Ares I launch vehicle with a simulated upper stage, Orion crew exploration vehicle and launch abort system. Data collected, including from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket, will begin to confirm the vehicle as a whole is safe and stable in flight before astronauts begin traveling into orbit. 

A team at the AEDC's von Kármán Gas Dynamics Facility (VKF) conducted aerodynamic load and stability testing associated with stage separation testing in 2008. 

In order to reuse the Ares I first stage, it must be able to withstand the high heat experienced during its uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere at speeds as high as 7 times the speed of sound after it separates from the rest of the flight vehicle.
Once the first stage separates, it then coasts at an altitude of almost 300,000 feet before reentering the atmosphere in a tumbling and rolling motion. The motion and orientation are similar to the Shuttle's solid rocket booster during reentry but the speed during reentry is significantly higher. 

The high heating anticipated due to the higher reentry speeds made it much more important to obtain accurate data to produce a better flight vehicle.

Video clips to download:

Orion TPS test video

Ares in vkf test cell