The damage seen on the Ares I-X booster occurred as a result of parachute failure, which caused the rocket to impact the water harder than expected. Ares I-X manager Bob Ess briefed reporters today on the preliminary data from Wednesday's test flight of NASA new rocket, and said the parachute failure was not a significant [...]

More...

How is having the J-2X engine helpful in regards to stage 2 tumbling? The tumbling happened almost immediately after separation. You have to have some time between separation and stage 2 ignition, right? Something still doesn't seem right about this particular part of the flight, but I am sure it will all get sorted out.

CJSF

__________________
Two years ago moved from my town
I was looking up past the city lights
But the city lights got in my way

See the constellation ride across the sky
No cigar, no lady on his arm
Just a guy made of dots and lines

-from "See The Constellation"
by They Might Be Giants

Some more discussion at www.nasaspaceflight.com

I expect the Ares bashers to be in force.

Different center of gravity making it less unstable.

__________________
‘To those who regard “crime fiction” as some sacred icon which must follow a rigid formula, I will always be the man who writes 18-syllable haiku.’Trying to make sense of computers, The Error Log.

Oh. I thought they also simulated the weight distribution in the dummy stage. I thought they'd go for bettery fidelity with the proposed "real" upper stage.

CJSF

__________________
Two years ago moved from my town
I was looking up past the city lights
But the city lights got in my way

See the constellation ride across the sky
No cigar, no lady on his arm
Just a guy made of dots and lines

-from "See The Constellation"
by They Might Be Giants