The recent recession is visible everywhere. Even NASA has been badly hit by the economic downturn. It has been rumored for long that there would be serious cuts in the NASA budget as the space exploration makes no sense when the recession has made it difficult to live on earth. The argument is that the amount being spent on the space program should be spent on welfare programs.
Ares 1 x is designed to provide the launching support to manned flights in outer space. The capsule carrying humans would be mounted at the Ares rocket. Ares 1x is first rocket in the series, it was towed to its launch site at Cape Canaveral. The event is regarded as historic because it heralds NASA’s efforts after some 30 years to prepare a manned flight. It was carried at a speed of just 0.2 mph to avoid it being falling from the vehicle carrying it. The rocket would be fired on Tuesday. It is expected to achieve its top speed of 3000 miles per hour before falling in Atlantic Ocean. Test flight would provide engineers at NASA with crucial data necessary to plan a crewed flight to either moon or mars.
Even if Ares 1 x is a success it is doubted that NASA has enough budget to fulfill 2015 manned flight dream named “Constellation Program”. White House committee is favoring cheaper options. Gone are the Cold War days when it was necessary for American to show it’s superiority over U.S.S.R.
Ares 1 x
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