The second of the two roll control system modules for Ares I-X was installed into the rocket’s interstage this week in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center.
These photos were taken in the Vehicle Assembly Building from the fifth floor crossover looking down into the bay.
The roll control system modules were loaded with their propellants at the Hypergol Maintenance Facility before being moved over to the Vehicle Assembly Building. The propellants (nitrogen tetroxide and mono¬methyl hydrazine) are hypergolic chemicals, which means they spontaneously ignite when they come into contact with one another.
The roll control system is designed to perform a 90-degree roll after the rocket clears the launch tower. It will also prevent the rocket from spiraling like a football during flight and maintaining the orientation of the rocket until separation of the upper and first stages.
Video of the installation process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXoa-eyUkHw
Keep blogging!
Thanks for these pics. I like to watch the hard work of USA!
I would like to see more progress available than you have thus far. Is NASA dragging their feet with the ARES 1X to stall the launch? Why was the launch about not planned with the 1x launch? Would it save some money to test multiple system with the same article? Where does ARES 1X project stand today? There’s not much that has changed on the web site, and June is around the corner. Is the moble platform even ready, to stack up ares? What does NASA wish to speed up the process? I am sorry but it seems that NASA is dragging their feet with this, and we cannot affford it.
nasa…you guys are the best! the website offers us regular folk a chance to see the best in action, the site keeps growing and just gets better,thanks and god speed! robert booth (wanna be astronaut amateur astronomer)
This website is the best I come here for all my space knowledge. Space is so cool. lol everything God creates is so awesome.
Hello. verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry excelllllllllllllllllllent.
Be luck.