August 14, 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

MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-156

NASA AND ATK SET NEW DATE FOR FULL-SCALE ARES I MOTOR TEST

WASHINGTON -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc , or ATK, will conduct the first full-scale, full-duration test of the new first-stage solid rocket motor for the Ares I rocket at 1 p m MDT, on Thursday, Aug 27 The test will take place at the ATK test facility in Promontory, Utah

The test was previously scheduled for Aug 25 The new date allows key NASA and ATK personnel to support this test and the upcoming STS-128 space shuttle Discovery mission Discovery is targeted for launch on Aug 24

The static firing of the five-segment solid motor, designated Development Motor -1, will last two minutes The goal is to obtain valuable thrust, roll-control, acoustics and vibration data as engineers continue to design Ares I

To attend the test, journalists must register with ATK For information and to request credentials, contact ATK's Trina Patterson at 801-699-0943 The registration deadline for U S reporters is Aug 24 The deadline for foreign journalists is Aug 18

Interviews with project managers may be arranged in advance News media bringing live broadcast trucks must request parking prior to the event

The first-stage solid rocket motor is managed and tested by the Ares Projects Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala ATK Space Systems is the prime contractor for the Ares I first stage The Ares I rocket is designed to launch the Orion spacecraft and the next generation of NASA astronauts

For more information about Ares, visit:

http://www nasa gov/ares

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