Early Abort of Ares I Rocket Would Kill Crew 414
FleaPlus writes "From studying past solid rocket launch failures, the 45th Space Wing of the US Air Force has concluded that an early abort (up to a minute after launch) of NASA Marshall Flight Center's Ares I rocket would have a ~100% chance of killing all crew (report summary and link), even if the launch escape system were activated. This would be due to the capsule being surrounded until ground impact by a 3-mile-wide cloud of burning solid propellant fragments, which would melt the parachute. NASA management has stated that their computer models predict a safe outcome. The Air Force has also been hesitant to give launch range approval to the predecessor Ares I-X suborbital rocket, since its solid rocket vibrations are violent enough to disable both its steering and self-destruct module, endangering people on the ground."
sign of the times... (Score:3, Funny)
The Old NASA wouldn't settle for anything less than =100%!
Re:Badass (Score:4, Funny)
They have a burning commitment to the program.
As in, "the Chef is concerned, but the Chicken is committed." :-)
Re:IANARS but... (Score:3, Funny)
Fortunately it seems like this is a problem that *could be corrected* fairly easily -- with, say, a propulsion mechanism on the escape capsule, just enough to give enough delta-V that it would clear the debris cloud in time to deploy the parachutes. It's even easier since you're flying through the air: perhaps you could deploy some sort of air brake or aerodynamic device to change the drag characteristics of the capsule enough to escape the cloud?
It doesn't have to survive the heat or provide a safe landing -- all it has to do is bump you out of the debris cloud, and you're good.
Re:The Air Force is right. (Score:5, Funny)
Especially for a German. He designed the thing, wound up retiring from NASA, and teaching English in his German accent.
Guy had quite the sense of humor, along with a reputation for being hard as hell. I asked him in the halls one day how many people had dropped dead from his latest exam, and he said "Oh, all of them! I run a mortuary on the side; good way to get more business!"
Re:Sometimes /. is so fatalistic (Score:4, Funny)
Of course, a solid steel parachute! Why didn't we think of this before!
Signed,
Ares Engineers
Re:Sometimes /. is so fatalistic (Score:2, Funny)
Ahah! A PHB. Take away his Geek Card now!
Re:The Air Force is right. (Score:2, Funny)
"An African-American with a degree from Texas Southern University (which is barely better than a typical ghetto high school) will be promoted before an Asian-American or a European-American with a degree from Caltech."
They dropped your resume on the floor, and didn't even send you a card saying how much they regretted it, didn't they? And the only explanation for that is someone of a more fortunate race also applied. Bless your heart.
Re:IANARS but... (Score:3, Funny)
The Bruce Willis Rocket Design Company, eh?
Re:100%? (Score:4, Funny)
Only Russians could swear while undergoing 17 g acceleration.
Re:100%? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The Air Force is right. (Score:3, Funny)
Of course it's socialism's fault! Are you crazy, what else could it be!? And universal healthcare breeds terrorists [thinkprogress.org]!
Re:IANARS but... (Score:3, Funny)
Actually, I was thinking that now I finally understand why they decided to reuse the name Orion for this rocket concept.