Oct 23, 2009

Amber Philman Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468 amber n philman@nasa gov

RELEASE: 56-09

NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR THE ARES I-X TEST ROCKET LAUNCH ON OCT 27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla - NASA has completed a review of the Ares I-X development rocket's readiness for its flight test and selected Tuesday, Oct 27, as the official launch date Liftoff is scheduled for 8 a m EDT from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

The Ares I-X launch date was announced after a flight test readiness review at Kennedy During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the test and determined the rocket, support systems and procedures are ready for launch

"I am proud of the work this team has done to ready this test rocket for launch," said Doug Cooke, associate administrator for NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate "This is the first time in more than 30 years that NASA has built a vehicle in a new configuration so this has been a valuable learning experience

"This test will yield important data to support the nation's next steps in exploration There is no substitute for hard data - flight testing clarifies the distinction between imagined outcomes and real flight experience "

The 28-mile high, two-minute flight of the Ares I-X, an uncrewed development rocket, will provide NASA with an opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations, while gathering critical data for the Ares I rocket and future launch vehicles

To follow Ares I-X on Twitter, visit:

http://www twitter com/NASA_Ares_I_X

For more information about Ares I-X and NASA's next-generation spacecraft, visit:

http://www nasa gov/aresIX

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