Nasa’s Ares I-X rocket is ready for flight test lift-off on 27 October 2009.

The Ares I launch vehicles are being developed by Nasa to conducted human space flights to the moon, Mars and other destinations.

The rocket has a single five-segment solid rocket booster and is powered by a liquid oxygen or liquid hydrogen J-2X engine. The rocket can lift more than 55,000lb into low Earth orbit.

The flight test will allow Nasa an early opportunity to test and prove flight characteristics, hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I.

Although the vehicle is ready for launch, the Nasa weather office reports only a 40% chance that the weather will be suitable on the targeted launch date.

Final ordnance work, electrical testing and testing of the range safety command transmitter is underway and will be followed by installation of the fifth segment simulator.