Tag: first stage

Bolting Down 3.6 Million Pounds of Thrust


The solid rocket is armed, the countdown is in its final minutes as NASA and ATK prepare to ignite Ares I five-segment first stage designed to take humans out of Earth’s gravitational pull — this time; however, the rocket isn’t going anywhere.


Engineers at ATK install new mid-span to support Ares I solid rocket motor design. (ATK)

The Ares I development motor, or DM-1, will be tested at Alliant Techsystem’s (ATK) test stand in Promontory, Utah on August 27. With a magnificent flash of light the 154-foot solid rocket motor will come to life, producing heat two-thirds the temperature of the sun and 3.6 million pounds of thrust from its 12-foot diameter cylinder.

Spectators will first see the flame of the motor, so bright the majority will wear sunglasses, then a few seconds later the sound wave will be heard, followed by the ground shaking. Those in attendance will gain a true understanding of the power produced by this motor.

Called by some an “engineering masterpiece,” the first stage is capable of producing 22 million horsepower which is equivalent to the energy produced by 25,882 race cars. So how do ATK and NASA hold down one of the world’s most powerful rockets?


The load measurement system on ATK’s test stand which is attached to the thrust block. (ATK)

“It’s comparable to an ice berg or an upside down mushroom where the majority of this massive test stand is underground,” said Gary Bates, chief test engineer for ATK Space Systems. “This motor is designed to go places, so we need to ensure that it can’t.”

The test stand is made out of 7,000 cubic yards of concrete, 308 tons of reinforced steel and 230 tons of steel plates and rails. It includes a 16-foot tall by 40- foot long, and 20-feet wide above ground concrete fixture, or thrust block, which is attached to an extremely large buried foundation measuring more than 100 feet long by 80 foot wide and almost two-stories below the ground.

The test stand also includes a new, mid-span support which was installed to support the weight of the longer five-segment motor for approximately 70 seconds until enough propellant has been consumed to lighten the weight of the motor.


Newly installed mid-span support for the Ares I five-segment solid rocket motor. (ATK)

The rocket is installed horizontally with attachments at the front and aft ends of the stand. More than a hundred fasteners up to 2.5 inches in diameter help hold the motor in place. At the thrust block, the first stage is attached to a load measurement system.  This system is designed to not only handle up to 4.3 million pounds of force, but measure it.

“Along with securing the motor in the test stand, we need to be able to collect data during its operation,” said Bates. “This data is vital in understanding how the motor performs to compare with flight and other ground test data.” 

Once the test is complete, NASA and ATK will be able to use the information in collaboration with data collected from the Ares I-X test flight this fall, to finalize the design of Ares I first stage.

For more information about the Ares rockets or to watch the DM-1 hot fire test live, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/ares

NASA Gives Official 'Go' for August 25 Ares I First Stage Motor Test


NASA gave the official “go” for the Ares I first stage Development Motor 1 (DM-1) test targeted for August 25 concluding a two-day test readiness review. Nineteen NASA managers signed off on the official readiness statement. It reads: “Pending satisfactory completion of normal operations flow and open items identified in this review, the Ares I First Stage test hardware is ready to support the static testing of DM-1.”

The review was held at ATK Launch Systems Huntsville, Al. office on July 21-22.  More than 50 solid rocket motor technical experts reviewed every detail of the DM-1 solid rocket motor, now installed in a  test stand at ATK’s Promontory, Utah test facility.  The first stage five-segment development motor has been under development since 2006. It is based on the design of the space shuttle’s four-segment configuration, but includes several modifications.

Max Tavoian, ATK Space Systems manager opened the formal review for ATK. Tavoian noted that most people in the room had been working toward DM-1 for the last three and a half years.

“This review will tell you why DM-1 is ready to go. DM-1 has 46 design objectives and 650 instrumentation channels. This test will prove out a series of technology improvements and design attributes including changes to the propellant grain, nozzle and updated liner and insulation implemented by ATK related to the new five-segment reusable solid rocket motor.”

Over the two days, the team engaged in a healthy and thorough discussion about the motor’s instrumentation, propellant and motor performance, insulation and components, metal case components and seals, and the overall readiness to “go” for test on August 25. The upcoming test is expected to provide valuable data on motor internal pressures, thrust profile, and performance of new designs on the nozzle and the internal motor insulation.  Additional benefits include data on roll-control, acoustics and vibration data. Engineers need all of this data to continue to design the Ares I rocket.
 
No issues emerged from the review that impact test readiness. Final instrumentation will be installed over the next month in preparation for the firing.

Alex Priskos, first stage manager for the Ares Projects Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. chaired NASA’s test readiness review panel. He closed the meeting enthusiastically, acknowledging the hard work of the team which made this successful review possible. “This effort has been a thorough and professional effort. The professionalism of  this team gives me a high level of confidence as we go forward with this test,” he said.

“DM-1 is about taking advantage of all we’ve learned from the Shuttle program — the safety aspects and technology enhancements — and moving forward to the next stage of crewed exploration beyond low-Earth orbit,” explained Priskos. “This test is the first step in a  series of development and qualification tests. The ultimate goal is to design and build a first-stage motor that increases performance, is safe, reliable and will meet or exceed all of our requirements and objectives. The entire Ares team is looking forward to the DM-1firing next month and reviewing the test results.”

Jennifer Morcone, MSFC PAO