THIS DAY IN SPACE

Ares I-X Test Flight
On October 28, 2009, NASA launched the Ares I-X rocket from Kennedy Space Center in a spectacular test of a new launch system designed for future human spaceflight. The mission was part of the Constellation program, which aimed to replace the aging Space Shuttle fleet and eventually take astronauts back to the Moon. Standing over 100 meters tall, Ares I-X was the tallest rocket launched since the Saturn V. The flight lasted six minutes and reached an altitude of 46 kilometers, testing flight dynamics, control systems, and stage separation. Though the Constellation program was later canceled, the Ares I-X flight provided valuable data that would be incorporated into the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s next-generation rocket. This mission symbolized NASA’s commitment to deep space exploration and its resolve to maintain leadership in human spaceflight despite shifting political and budgetary challenges.

Deep Space 1 Launch
On October 28, 1998, NASA launched Deep Space 1, a spacecraft designed to test advanced technologies like ion propulsion and autonomous navigation. As part of NASA’s New Millennium Program, DS1 aimed not to gather scientific data but to validate tech that would make future missions more efficient and affordable. Its main innovation was the use of ion engines—a low-thrust but highly efficient propulsion system that allowed the spacecraft to change speed and trajectory over long durations. DS1 successfully flew by asteroid 9969 Braille and later made an extended mission to fly past Comet Borrelly, capturing detailed images and analyzing its surface composition. The success of Deep Space 1 validated many systems later used in missions like Dawn, which visited Ceres and Vesta. It marked a shift in how NASA approached mission design—focusing on smart, smaller, and more sustainable exploration vehicles for interplanetary science.