Marshall Center to Conduct Welding Tool Demonstration

Tag : metal cutting tool

On Monday, Aug. 11, an historic first in hardware development forthe Ares I Upper Stage will occur at NASA's Marshall Space FlightCenter: The first "official" weld will be made with tools that soonwill manufacture test articles of major hardware for the Ares Irocket - the rocket that will send future astronauts into orbit.
A cutting edge technology metal joining process known as frictionstir welding, first used in aerospace on the space shuttle externaltank in 2005, will be used. This type of welding produceshigh-strength, almost defect-free joint welds and can uniformlyweld materials together -- a vital requirement of next-generationlaunch vehicles and hardware that must endure long-term spacetravel.
During a news media opportunity, media will be briefed about theMarshall Center's significant role in the assembly of Ares I UpperStage hardware. There'll be a tour of manufacturing and assemblyareas of the Marshall Center's Weld Development Facility and ademonstration of the Robotic Weld Tool to be used to manufactureAres I Upper Stage test articles.
NASA is at work developing hardware and systems for the Ares I.Beginning in 2015, an Ares I rocket will launch the Orion crewcapsule and six astronauts, and small pressurized cargo payloads,to the International Space Station. The Ares I rocket is a single,five-segment reusable solid rocket booster derived from the SpaceShuttle Program's reusable solid rocket motor. Ares I may also useits 25-ton payload capacity to deliver resources and supplies tothe International Space Station, or to "park payloads" in orbit forretrieval by other spacecraft bound for the moon or otherdestinations.
WHAT: Friction Stir Welding Demonstration and its significance inthe assembly of Ares I Upper Stage development hardware testarticles
WHO: Tim Vaughan, Chief of Metals Engineering Branch, Materials andProcesses Laboratory
Bob Carter, Lead Weld Development Facility Engineer, MetalsEngineering Branch, Materials and Processes Laboratory
WHERE: Marshall Space Flight Center, Building 4755 South Bay, WeldDevelopment Facility
WHEN: Monday, Aug. 11, 2 p.m. CDT
TO ATTEND: News media interested in covering the event shouldcontact the Marshall Public & Employee Communications Office at(256) 544-0034 no later than Monday, Aug. 11, 10 a.m. Media mustreport to the Redstone Arsenal Joint Visitor Control Center at Gate9, Interstate 565 interchange at RideoutRoad/Research ParkBoulevard. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the gate.News media will need two photo identifications and proof of carinsurance. Media will be escorted to Building 4755. Visitor parkingis available in front of Bldg. 4200 on the southwest side.
For more information about NASA's exploration program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration