NASA’s New Rocket Gets Built ......

[kracken]

The first tall, skinny Ares I-X rocket is now more than half assembled at Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building.

The Ares I-X is set for an October 31 test flight, but along with the entire next-generation NASA Constellation program, its future is uncertain. The Human Spaceflight Review, initiated by the Obama administration earlier this year, could recommend wholesale changes to NASA’s future.

Nonetheless, the program continues to soldier on, as can be seen from these construction photos. Below, we see a custom-designed overhead crane, which places the components onto the stack.




These photos really give a sense of the scale of rocket, which will reach a height of 327 feet when it’s complete. In about a month — just about the time the review committee submits its findings — the Ares I-X stacking process will be complete.




Images: NASA

[Little John]

Nothing like planning ahead at Nasa its almost as if they knew they would need to be able to build very tall things when they built the building for the saturn 5 rockets in the VAB

[Simate]

No recession at NASA then.

[Deadly]

Cool photos, really give you a sense of the size of it, ie fucking massive!

[BertRoot]

Looks very similar in shape to Ariane the old European project.

[Little John]

Dont forget it leaves the building upright as well so they have some huge doors on there.

[Rick Sanchez]

Class, monster garage

[gingertosser]

is this a reusable rocket? if so how does it land with no wings?