The process of packing a colorful main parachute slated for use on the Ares I-X test flight is under way.

In the Parachute Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the process of packing a colorful main parachute, slated for use on the Ares I-X test flight, is under way. The new parachutes are red, white and blue. The launch is targeted for July 2009 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B and will provide an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I rocket. The Ares I-X rocket is a combination of existing and simulator hardware that will resemble the Ares I crew launch vehicle in size, shape and weight. It will provide valuable data to guide the final design of the Ares I, which will launch astronauts in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The test flight also will bring NASA one step closer to its exploration goals of returning humans to the moon for sustained exploration of the lunar surface and missions to destinations beyond. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller