The Ares I-X Rocket is the first rocket to be tested by NASA since 1981. The Ares I-X is a suborbital prototype for the Ares I rocket NASA plans to use to launch the Orion spacecraft. At 100 meters the Ares I-X rocket is currently the world’s tallest booster. It was taken to the launch pad on on October 20th and is scheduled to blast off on October 27 at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) for a short demonstration flight.
During the rocket’s flight NASA will “be testing the stage separation to determine how well the first stage separation motors perform, as well as the performance of the booster itself, namely the parachutes and other apparatus that will deploy,” said NASA commentator George Diller. The $445 million Ares I-X rocket will take-off from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
What's Driving This Trend
- Space Exploration
- Disruptive innovation opportunities in the space industry may include the development of more efficient and cost-effective rockets and spacecraft.
- Rocket Testing
- Opportunities for disruptive innovation exist in the development of advanced rocket testing technologies and methodologies.
- Prototype Development
- The creation of suborbital prototypes like the Ares I-X rocket presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in the field of prototype design and testing.
Who This Affects Most
- Aerospace
- The aerospace industry could benefit from disruptive innovation in the design and construction of rockets and spacecraft.
- Testing and Measurement
- Disruptive innovation opportunities in the testing and measurement industry may involve the development of advanced testing systems and procedures for rockets and spacecraft.
- Prototyping
- The prototyping industry can explore disruptive innovation by developing new techniques and technologies for designing and testing suborbital prototypes.
