K
kane007
Guest
SpaceDaily 2007/01/05<br /><br />It confirmed that the Ares I architecture and design concept can fulfill the mission objectives and that the Ares project is ready to begin engineering design activities. The Ares preliminary design review is scheduled for mid-2008.<br /><br /><br />Among the items addressed in the review was the commitment to reduce operations costs through streamlined launch vehicle processing. All hardware elements -- the first stage, upper stage and upper stage engine -- are emphasizing operations simplicity to enable NASA to sustain long-term exploration of space within its budget.<br /><br />In January 2007, the Ares project will begin the second in a series of design analyses cycles leading to final design and fabrication of the launch vehicle. This cycle will baseline design changes made during the first cycle.<br /><br />In the updated Ares 1 configuration, a common bulkhead between the upper stage liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks has been substituted for an intertank, thus shortening the vehicle. The thrust profile for the Ares I first stage also has been baselined. This means requirements have been established for how the solid propellant inside the five-segment reusable solid rocket booster burns during ascent.<br />