Posted on Oct 27, 2009 09:09:18 AM | Dan Kanigan | 11 Comments
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There’s a running joke around NASA that the most important thing about rocket travel is that “the pointy end goes up.” That seems simple enough—and that’s what we expect Ares I-X to do today. But have you ever wondered what is ON the pointy end of the rocket? You might be surprised.
Rather than an actual point or smooth, aerodynamic surface, the very top of the Ares I-X rocket is capped by an instrument called the “five-hole probe.” As its name suggests, this instrument has five holes on its conical point, which take in air during flight. The probe is actually a set of sensors that collects aerodynamic data, including total air pressure, static air pressure, angle of attack, and other measures that verify how well the vehicle is being controlled—one of the primary objectives of the test.
Because of the importance of this sensor, the five-hole probe is kept under a protective cover, which will be removed by someone standing on top of the launch gantry and pulling it off with a lanyard. The cover will be removed about 45 to 50 minutes before launch time. Once the cover is off, the five-hole probe will be ready to slice through the air and make its contribution to the flight test…pointy end up, of course.
Tags : General
11 comments so far ( Post your own )
- 11
On Oct 28, 2009 07:33:27 PM
Michael Brown
wrote:
Wow...way to not mention the small companies that make all of this possible.
- 10 On Oct 29, 2009 01:03:12 AM guest wrote:
Back in the day the catch phrase was BEF. This means blunt end forward. In other words when you re-enter make sure the heatshield, or blunt end, comes in first. Otherwise it could ruin your entire day.
- 9 On Oct 28, 2009 06:45:00 PM Alex wrote:
Eddy - I can't speak for the rest of the rocket, but the probe in the above photos was designed and assembled by the tiny company I work for (subcontracted by LMCO) in Blacksburg, Virginia. It's 100% homegrown (and I suspect the more important parts of the rocket are too).
- 8 On Oct 28, 2009 05:35:43 AM guest wrote:
Kappy:
The Ares I-X and Ares I designs are native to the U.S. While all rockets tend to look much alike, Ares I is unique in that much of the upper half (the "hammer head") is wider then the lower half. A primary objective of the Ares I-X flight test is to determine how challenging it is to control a vehicle with this configuration.
Thx,
/b- 7 On Oct 27, 2009 02:03:33 PM Rick Cain wrote:
Well you will immediately know if you have the rocket upside down, it will surface in china.
- 6 On Oct 27, 2009 07:31:45 PM guest wrote:
So, if you scrub after removing the cover (like today) and you get rain (like tonight) who gets to shinny up the rocket to put the cover back on???
- 5 On Oct 27, 2009 10:49:41 AM TJ wrote:
I was in the Field Artillery, and in our gun positions we had what was basically an intercom system between the guns and the fire direction center. At least once on each training exercise some anonymous joker would get on the horn and say "remember, pointy end goes in the tube first".
- 4 On Oct 27, 2009 10:18:56 AM Kappy wrote:
good look with the launch. Hope my tax dollars are well invested.
- 3 On Oct 27, 2009 10:15:57 AM Eddy wrote:
this space craft looks like the one designed and launched by the russians and chinese, is this correct?
- 2 On Oct 27, 2009 09:43:09 AM guest wrote:
good luck with the launch - do you think it will happen today? am tuned in at work in London, UK, watching with interest :)
- 1 On Oct 27, 2009 09:25:23 AM BTCG wrote:
A variant of the "$200 motor will burn out to protect the 50-cent fuse". The oddest things will hang you up.
I guess this is the famous "one thing will always go wrong with each launch".
Good luck, Ares 1-X!
Launch observation, NJ - 10 On Oct 29, 2009 01:03:12 AM guest wrote:
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