40 Years After Apollo, ATK and NASA Unveil the New Ares I Five Segment Solid Rocket Booster

(ATK) – The Next Generation of Space Transportation Is Set to Ignite in August at ATK

PROMONTORY, Utah –In commemoration of the first moon landing, ATK Space Systems and NASA will mark the next steps in space as they unveil the first completed Ares I first stage five segment booster, planned to be tested next month.

Ares 1

What: Unveiling of the five-segment Ares I first stage rocket
When: Monday July 20, 2009
Time: 10 a.m. MDT
Where: ATK Space Systems facility in Promontory, Utah
Who: Charlie Precourt, vice president and general manager, ATK
Space Launch Systems, and former four-time shuttle
Astronaut Kent Rominger, vice president, Test and Research
Operations ATK Space Systems, and former five-time shuttle
Astronaut Alex Priskos, NASA Ares I First Stage Manager
Mike Kahn, executive vice president, ATK Space Systems

Background:

The Ares I first stage has been under development since 2005. Precourt and Rominger will discuss the history of the space program including how shuttle and Apollo knowledge has been used to develop Ares I. They will also discuss the next steps to prepare for the August 25 ground test–the first test of the Ares I five-segment solid rocket booster.