credit: NASA
Back in September I reported about how NASA was considering an electromechanical actuator and provided the schematic above of a system considered in 1993 and now people are wondering about what design Ares will use as the agency identified it as the solution to the lift-off drift of the Ares I crew launch vehicle
NASA told me in September; "Because [the electromechanical actuator] has the potential to reduce operations costs in the long run. [It is a] technology study effort at this point. If we did, we would likely do as a downsteam upgrade."
I guess that would go along with the nozzle extension upgrade for lunar missions. However things looked bleaker for the EM TVC when NASA announced this on 1 October
"This...is intended to notify industry that the agency is still refining its requirements for the Ares Electric TVC Prototype Risk Reduction Procurement based upon consideration of industry comments and agency reviews. As such, the release of the final RFP will be postponed until further notice"
The final RFP was to be released on 1 October. The draft RFP can be found here
on November 19, 2008 1:16 AM | Reply
If it is down the road, sounds good. The major thing that I dislike about the ARES 1 design is it's marginal capabilities. To my mind these are characterised by the single SRB approach. When NASA originally designed NOVA this approach was considered. Even back then, those designs with solid booster 1st stages were always inferior in payload and performance capabilities to the Liquid designs and lacking in growth capabilities. With the new Program - intended to operate in the long term, instead of the short represented by Apollo/Saturn - stretch capabilities in the Launch Vehicle(s)is, I think, the key to long-term success. I predict this is symptomatic of an almost certain need for a CEV redesign coming due fairly close to the time when a return to the moon is next on the agenda. Which, if NASA doesn't pull its finger out may well occur via the old spur of competition which got them there to begin with: and from an old rival perhaps?!