KSC-2009-1705

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The covered fifth segment simulator center for the Ares I-X rocket arrives in the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will join other segments being stacked there. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ares I is the essential core of a safe, reliable, cost-effective space transportation system that eventually will carry crewed missions back to the moon, on to Mars and out into the solar system. Ares I-X is targeted for launch in July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder