World's Larget Rocket Launched Successfully

After yesterday's failed attemp, NASA has launched today at 11.30 a.m. the world's largest rocket, Ares I-X, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ares I-X is part of the Constellation Program, that has been developing new vehicles that would replace space shuttles, which will be phased out in 2010. The rocket has cost $445 million dollars and has taken about 2 minutes in taking off.



For the first time in more than a quarter of century, this launch means a flight test for NASA's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system, and it should provide the agency with an opportunity to test and prove flight characteristics, hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I. In other words, the Constellation Program develops a spaceship for the American manned space flight after the retirement of the space shuttle and the flight test is part of NASA's mission to someday return astronauts to the moon and later travel to Mars.

If the Constellation Program moves forward, US would be able to take astronauts into space in five years. Currently, Russia has the monopoly of puting humans in orbit. The last person to be fired into space was the world's richest clown, canadian Guy Laliberté, founder of the Cirque du Soleil, who a month ago, on board a Soyuz rocket, headed for the International Space Station, becaming Russia's seventh "space tourist", with a 12-day trip thar costed him $35 million. Not a cheap vacation at all! Lalibeté took off from Kazakhstan with the US astronaut Jeffrey Williams and the Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev.



While in the International Space Station, Laliberté had the time to be the gest of U2 show in Tampa.



Fortunately, the 12th tourist space adventure had a happy ending.