Embattled NASA officials say they are sticking to plans to develop a rocket called Ares I after rumours surfaced that it was considering switching to a design based on the boosters that send the space shuttle into orbit. Ares I is being created to take astronauts into space after the shuttle fleet retires in 2010, although it won鈥檛 be ready until 2014.
Last week, a blog published by the Orlando Sentinel, Florida, reported that the design had fallen out of favour after serious vibrations arose in tests. Doug Cooke of NASA鈥檚 Exploration Systems Mission Directorate says he has heard no such talk among senior management. The agency says it has found a way to cancel out the vibrations using giant springs at the base of the rocket.
Stephen Metschan, an engineer promoting an alternative rocket called Direct 2.0, claims that the spring system has safety issues of its own. 鈥淚f that one system goes down, you鈥檙e gone.鈥�
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