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Old July 7th 09, 12:17 AM posted to sci.space.history
Pat Flannery
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Posts: 18,465
Default And yet more Ares woes:

Do they even want to put it on the pad?:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener...I-X%20Stacking

"One of the issues involves concerns by some engineers that the shaking
of the four-segment space shuttle solid-rocket booster that forms the
active portion of the Ares I-X stack will overwhelm the hydraulic
mechanism that drives the thrust vector control system that helps guide
the vehicle during powered flight.

Engineers also want more calculations on whether the vibrations would
disable the avionics box linking the flight termination system on the
vehicle with the range safety officers who would destroy it if it veers
off course. And they want extra analysis on whether any of the secondary
structures inside the steel boilerplate simulating the Ares I upper
stage - ladders, railings and the like - could shake loose during launch
and damage instrumentation or other hardware.
Shaking from the Ares I-X first stage isn't the same as that which is
driving the design of the final Ares I vehicle. In both cases, thrust
oscillation seen as the solid-fuel motor nears burnout sets up the
vibration, but on the Ares I the frequency is lower and the harmonics
into the crew compartment at the top of the stack is the main concern.
On the Ares I-X the expected frequency is about 15 hertz, versus 12 Hz
on the five-segment Ares I solid motor, and the concern is with command
receiver decoders that ride in an avionics box installed in the forward
skirt between the solid motor and the upper stage simulator.
If the box is knocked out, the range safety officer would not be able to
ignite a pyrotechnic charge designed to break open the motor's casing
longitudinally and halt the flight if it strays off course."

So, let's get this straight...it may go out of control on launch, then
start falling apart, and there will be no way to destroy it.
I love this gizmo.
It will bring back real excitement to a rocket launch, as the public can
cower in foxholes and watch it through those cheap cardboard periscopes
like they sold when we were kids. :-D

Pat