May 20, 2009

Ashley Edwards/Grey Hautaluoma Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1756/0668 ashley edwards-1@nasa gov, grey hautaluoma-1@nasa gov

Jennifer Morcone Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala 256-544-0034 jennifer j morcone@nasa gov

RELEASE: 09-113

NASA TESTS LARGEST ROCKET PARACHUTES EVER FOR ARES I

HUNTSVILLE, Ala -- NASA and industry engineers successfully completed the first test of the Ares I rocket's three main parachutes Wednesday The parachutes -- the largest rocket parachutes ever manufactured -- are designed to slow the rapid descent of the rocket's spent first-stage motor, permitting its recovery for use on future flights

The Ares I, the first rocket in NASA's Constellation Program, is designed to launch explorers aboard the Orion crew capsule on journeys to the International Space Station, the moon and beyond The three main parachutes measure 150 feet in diameter and weigh 2,000 pounds each They are a primary element of the rocket's deceleration system, which also includes a pilot parachute and drogue parachute Deployed in a cluster, the main parachutes open at the same time, providing the drag necessary to slow the descent of the huge solid rocket motor to a soft landing in the ocean

"The successful main chute cluster test today confirms the development and design changes we have implemented for the Ares I first stage recovery system," said Ron King, Ares I first stage deceleration subsystem manager for the Ares Projects at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala "Thanks to our great, collaborative team, the test went as anticipated, and all of our design objectives were met "

Engineers from Marshall managed the team that conducted this first cluster test at the U S Army's Yuma Proving Ground near Yuma, Ariz This was the eighth in an ongoing series of flight tests supporting development of the Ares I recovery system Researchers dropped the 41,500-pound load from a U S Air Force C-17 aircraft flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet The parachutes and all test hardware functioned properly and landed safely

As the test series progresses, engineers will perform three classifications of testing: development, design load and overload Each level of testing is designed to fully test the performance of the new parachute design with different size payloads under varying conditions The next test in the cycle -- scheduled for fall 2009 -- will involve the first design limit load test of a single main parachute

The Ares I recovery system currently under development uses parachutes similar to those used for the four-segment space shuttle boosters, but the parachutes have been redesigned to accommodate the new requirements of the Ares I first stage The Ares I launch vehicle will have a five-segment solid rocket booster that will fly faster and fall from a higher altitude than the shuttle boosters

ATK Space Systems near Promontory, Utah, is the prime contractor for the first stage booster ATK's subcontractor, United Space Alliance of Houston, is responsible for design, development and testing of the parachutes at its facilities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston manages the Constellation Program Marshall manages the Ares Projects The U S Army's Yuma Proving Ground provides the test range, support facilities and equipment to NASA for parachute testing

When video from the test becomes available, it will air on NASA Television's Video File For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www nasa gov/ntv

For additional images, video and information about NASA's Constellation Program, visit:

http://www nasa gov/constellation

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