NASA is poring over flight data following the successful launch of the Ares I-X demonstrator Oct. 28 from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after delaying launch by a day because of high upper-level winds and static-laden clouds.

The 327-foot high Ares I-X, roughly double the height of the Shuttle assembly, lifted off at 11:30 a.m. EDT and executed an initial roll maneuver at a much lower altitude than is usually seen at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) before completing its suborbital flight in just under four minutes.

Congratulating the launch team, KSC Director Bob Cabana said the perfectly executed short flight proved the "naysayers" wrong and was "one of the most beautiful rocket launches I've seen."

The test flight was aimed at demonstrating five key elements, plus collecting data on any potential thrust oscillation issues in the stack. The main objectives included verifying ascent control algorithms, in-flight separation of the first stage and simulated upper stage, successful recovery of the reusable first stage, first stage separation sequencing and first stage atmospheric entry dynamics and parachute performance.

It also aimed to show the magnitude of the integrated vehicle roll torque throughout the first stage, which used a roll control system derived from the Peacekeeper ballistic missile. Roll control was noted to be a major concern for the narrow design, which does not have widely spaced nozzles like the space shuttle.

The vehicle, weighing around 1.8 million pounds at ignition, accelerated through Mach 1 around 46 seconds after launch, with max Q (maximum dynamic pressure) being passed around five seconds later. Seventy seconds after launch it passed Mach 2 and was eight nautical miles downrange, while 40 seconds later (110 seconds into the flight) it reached Mach 4 and was 32 nautical miles downrange. Burnout was noted at just more than 120 seconds, with separation occurring around four seconds later at an altitude of 130,000 feet. The first stage then began its descent, and with main chutes activated by the recovery control unit, was reported to have splashed down successfully.

The first stage is expected to be towed back to land on Oct. 30 by the recovery vessel Freedom Star. The uppers stage, which was not recoverable, is believed to have reached a maximum altitude of around 150,000 feet.

Max speed was predicted to be Mach 4.7, slower than the Mach 5.84 of the production version - if it is ultimately built, as the White House mulls changes in NASA's current Constellation program. The Ares I-X launch trajectory was designed to simulate the same maximum dynamic pressure conditions that will be experienced by the later version.

Ares I-X launch photo: NASA