Ares 1-X: Nasa's new rocket unveiled in Florida

An artist's impression of the Ares I-X on the launch pad Photograph: NASA

A photograph taken with a fish eye lens shows rocket on the mobile launch platform as it prepares to roll out Photograph: Gary I Rothstein/EPA

Standing tall at its fully assembled height of 327 feet, the Ares I-X is one of the largest rockets ever processed in the vehicle assembly building's high bay 3, super stack 5 at the Kennedy Space Centre Photograph: Dimitri Gerondidakis/NASA

Members of the media photograph the rocket Photograph: Justin Dernier/EPA

Nasa workers make final preparations on launch pad 39-B, which will be used for the Ares 1-X test flight Photograph: Matt Stroshane/Getty Images

The hardware that will form the nose of the rocket Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA

Assembly of the Ares I-X rocket Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA

The Ares I-X launch abort system simulator joins rocket elements in the cavernous vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Centre Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA

Hardware arrives at Nasa's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA

In order to ensure that Ares I-X flight characteristics were fully understood, extreme care was taken to precisely fabricate the crew module and associated launch abort tower Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA

Workers carefully guide the completed launch abort system simulator over the crew module simulator Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA

While one team worked to complete fabrication and assembly of structural members, another team installed about 150 sensors in the crew module and launch abort tower Photograph: Sean Smith/NASA