Updates Ares Updates and Discussion

[Urwumpe]

I have a question for the crowd:
anyone heard what sort of shapecharge setup Aries I is going to use on it's first stage? Is it going to split the side, or just blow the nozzle? Anyone seen anything on this?

Split the case along the side. Just blow the nozzle wouldn't drop the pressure inside the SRB fast enough.

 

[thelastwaltz]

Does anyone know what the current situation with Ares is? Will it live? Is it going to be funded? If not, how will we be informed?

 

[orbiterguy]

"We just lost the moon"
Obama has cut the budget meaning that ares will not be going to the moon.
In fact nothing will be going to the moon or mars for a while until we get out of the recesion.
Sorry

 

[tblaxland]

Obama has cut the budget

The budget has not been cut. The FY 2010 budget is near-as-dammit the same as the FY 2009 budget (or a 5% increase, if you don't include the Recovery Act funds). The budget is projected to further increase by an average of 2.3% year-on-year until FY 2015.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/420990main_FY_201_ Budget_Overview_1_Feb_2010.pdf

 

[IronRain]

In fact nothing will be going to the moon or mars for a while until we get out of the recesion.

That's not completely true: http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=15026&highlight=ESA+moon

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

A funny (and truthful, I think) little cartoon from Florida Today:

 

[nygiantsrob]

maybe not

---------- Post added at 12:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:16 AM ----------

The budget has not been cut. The FY 2010 budget is near-as-dammit the same as the FY 2009 budget (or a 5% increase, if you don't include the Recovery Act funds). The budget is projected to further increase by an average of 2.3% year-on-year until FY 2015.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/420990main_FY_201_ Budget_Overview_1_Feb_2010.pdf

Maybe not...I saw C-SPAN coverage of hearings into NASA's 2011 budget 2day...Lotta' talk about reinstating Ares 1 & extending the Shuttle program until it's ready 2 fly...

 

[tblaxland]

Maybe not...I saw C-SPAN coverage of hearings into NASA's 2011 budget 2day...Lotta' talk about reinstating Ares 1 & extending the Shuttle program until it's ready 2 fly...

If they re-instate Ares 1 and extend STS, that can only mean greater budget increases. Anyway, there is a "Lotta talk" indeed, but the aforementioned budgets are the official ones for now. The talking will continue until the cows come home.

 

[nygiantsrob]

If they re-instate Ares 1 and extend STS, that can only mean greater budget increases. Anyway, there is a "Lotta talk" indeed, but the aforementioned budgets are the official ones for now. The talking will continue until the cows come home.

I think their concern was deeper than pork politics...They specifically questioned Administrator Bolden about the potential consequences of the Soyuz fleet being grounded due to some catastrophe...& Bolden acknowledged -- We would lose the ISS...Also a lot of concern about dependence on the fledgling private contractor option...an industry that still has yet to establish an unmanned, let alone manned, flight record...They're questioning was thorough & intelligent...I'm still hopeful they may make Obama alter his plan & keep the Shuttle running until we have another viable option...For now, private industry is not the way to go...

---------- Post added at 04:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:36 PM ----------

The budget has not been cut. The FY 2010 budget is near-as-dammit the same as the FY 2009 budget (or a 5% increase, if you don't include the Recovery Act funds). The budget is projected to further increase by an average of 2.3% year-on-year until FY 2015.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/420990main_FY_201_ Budget_Overview_1_Feb_2010.pdf

Yeah, it's increased...Substantially...but NASA is still being starved of funds...& has been for the last 20 years or so...but even with the increase, its being used in the wrong way...losing our manned space option to save a few dollars, in the hopes that an unproven private contractor can pick up the slack, is a MAJOR blunder by Obama...Private contractors still don't have a proven flight record with unmanned, let alone manned, vehicles...there time is NOT now...

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Some funny cartoons I came across! :lol:

---------- Post added at 03:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 PM ----------

Also:

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden gives tearful interview to BBC News.

 

[AirSimming]

I'm still hopeful they may make Obama alter his plan & keep the Shuttle running until we have another viable option...

If they keep the Shuttle in service, there won't be another viable NASA option. Less than ever AresI. Its operating costs would have been significantly higher than for the Shuttle, by carrying significantly less payload. The irreversible cancelation is based on sad solid facts.

For now, private industry is not the way to go...

Private contractors still don't have a proven flight record with unmanned, let alone manned, vehicles...there time is NOT now...

I was thinking that way too. But the window has just opened. SpaceX has entered low earth orbit and gets 6 billion USD from NASA for ISS support flights

But Obama is not really talking about private industries. He is talking about commercial industries, and like he said, the thing is that commercial industries are providing NASA already since the beginning. It was not NASA who build the Saturn V or the Space Shuttle

NASA, in its current structure, won't go anywhere within this decade I fear, less than ever if they would keep the budget-bucket flying.

 

[AirSimming]

By the way, why does NASA still publish quarterly reports about Ares which show and claim that everything is progressing "in full swing"? Are they drunken? Or do they still hope to get a go from Congress?

 

[Harmsway]

By the way, why does NASA still publish quarterly reports about Ares which show and claim that everything is progressing "in full swing"? Are they drunken? Or do they still hope to get a go from Congress?

Just the opposite. Only congress can give them the no go. Until then Ares marches on. You can't image how difficult it is for those like myself working on the manned space flight program. We continue to march towards the cliff where we all fall off. No hope no future. Not for us not for America.

 

[DaveS]

Just the opposite. Only congress can give them the no go. Until then Ares marches on. You can't image how difficult it is for those like myself working on the manned space flight program. We continue to march towards the cliff where we all fall off. No hope no future. Not for us not for America.

Yes, this due to a nice little thing in the FY10 budget language, that any modifications to the CxP will require Congressional approval and this includes any cancellations.

So right now, CxP is still very much alive.

 

[Harmsway]

So right now, CxP is still very much alive.

Alive, but not very much so. All the necessary contracts have been pulled. Big money will be spent to stop what already has been awarded and all the skilled labor is walking away or waiting to be axed. Without any other intervention much of NASA facilities will be a ghost town.

 

[jinglesassy]

Couldn't they man-rate the delta 5 rocket and be able to do more with that then our multi-billion dollar space-pencil?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

SpaceRef: "ATK Hopeful as they Prepare Ares DM-2 Test".

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Oooh, cool! :thumbup:

NASASpaceFlight: "Unemployed Ares I Mobile Launcher set for Crawler trip in August".

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The Huntsville Times: "ATK sets test this month for next Ares 1 solid rocket motor".

 

[thesnorklemonkey]

So is NASA going to keep working on Ares 1 at full throttle until a bill is passed, canceling the program?