Video shows test rocket's parachutes failing

CAPE CANAVERAL - NASA is getting a little more information about what happened to its Ares I-X test rocket last week, but they'll have to do some investigating to find out why the rocket was damaged during splashdown.

The rocket's six-minute test flight is generally being regarded as a success, even though the booster part of the rocket was dented as it hit the ocean at the end of the flight.

New video released by the space agency ( scroll down to watch) confirms that a parachute failure allowed the rocket to hit the water fast enough to cause damage.

In the footage, which was shot from a stabilized camera flying aboard a plane, it appears that one of the booster's three parachutes failed and a second one partially failed.

The video provides a spectacular unique view of the flight, including a clear view of the engine cutoff, booster separation, and parachute deployment.

The Ares rockets may eventually replace the space shuttle, boosting manned capsules into orbit and, NASA hopes, to the moon or Mars.

The parachutes were among many of the features that engineers were testing on the flight. Though the Ares rockets are meant to be reused, this particular test rocket was made of recycled shuttle booster parts and was meant to only fly once.

Program managers say they will be analyzing the parachutes to find out why the failure occurred.

Watch video (full size at www.youtube.com):