NASA yesterday test fired their DM-2 rocket this week, which is their biggest-ever solid rocket engine. The video is a little slow to start with the long countdown, but turn down your speakers for the firing, because I’m not playing when I say biggest-ever.
A common misconception about the current NASA longterm plan is that they are no longer building rockets to send us to space after the Shuttle program winds down early next year, leaving us to rely on the Russians to get us up in to space. This is only about half true. The Ares I rocket, which was meant to be a short distance, low orbit, crew only rocket was axed by the President. The much larger Ares V, meant for longer distance, higher payload missions is still on track as part of the Constellation program.
There’ll be a short lapse between when the Shuttle is gone (insert tears rolling down my cheek), and when the Constellation program is in full production, but rest assured NASA is still building some rad stuff like always. That being said, the Corvette commercial below is still one of my favorite commercials of the year.
