One-Off Rockets

Considering that the Ares 1-X launch was planned for several years before the HSF Review was a blip in anyone's sypnapses, the claim that the launch was a political stunt to save the program rings hollow. The launch and flight was always about testing the basic flight dynamics of the proposed Ares I vehicle and is only the first in a series of test flights. As to whether the program will be cancelled, to suggest that the program is in imminent danger of being cancelled is a reflection of the extreme, subjective bias of the Space Frontier Foundation rather than an objective look at the facts.

The Space Frontier Foundation is basically a mouthpiece for Tumlinson to do gratuitous NASA-bashing. Basically, whatever it is, if NASA is involved, they're against it.
I'm not sure I'd name the Ares-1X the "invention of the year," but the hyperbole in the SFF's so-called "press release"-- words like "fake" "dummy" "hoax"-- is just froth. You don't need "to go beyond the NASA and contractor flacks" to know Ares-1X is not the Ares-1, Rick; this is extensively convered on the NASA website and in pretty much every news release NASA sent out. A "press release" to disclose to the world information that is not only available on the NASA website, but has been on the NASA web site for years, is a pretty pale imitation of news.

Gary,
Please list all of the actual Ares 1 flight hardware that was used during the Ares 1x test flight. As far as I can tell it was only the parachutes which had a 66% failure rate (2 out of 3 failed to deploy nominally). If the design of the rocket was that questionable then it was/is a poor design. I know that they did aerodynamic testing in the NASA subsonic and supersonic wind tunnels on the models. So what was the point of this "test". I maintain that since they test fired a 5 segment booster in August before this launch it would have been more pertinent and a better use of funds to delay the Ares 1x flight until at least a real 5 segment booster was available to use.

The article I read on the "Time" website did not make the difference between Ares I and the I-X clear, in my opinion. I don't think the video is that great either. A lot of people who see the article or the video aren't going to be bothered to check out NASA's websites and press releases to learn what's really going on.

Since the administration keeps putting off a decision about HSF, giving time for Congressional supporters of Ares to strengthen their position, I think that it is premature to assume Ares will be canceled.

I'm no fan of Ares I or V, because I don't think they are financially sustainable (especially the V), and I don't think they will further the development of the private space sector, but in the absence of anything better from the administration, it looks like Congressional supporters might be able to keep Ares alive.