The booster rocket used in test flight was badly dented when it fell into the Atlantic because of a deflated parachute, NASA said Thursday.

The new Ares I-X, completed a two-minute flight Wednesday. The launch itself went well, officials said, but one of three parachutes on the booster failed to work properly.

All three parachutes opened, but one ended up deflating for unknown reasons, said NASA spokesman Allan Beutel, that caused the booster to hit the ocean with extra force.

The Ares I-X is a prototype of what’s supposed to replace the space shuttles and ultimately fly to the moon. The White House, though, may nix those plans.

During Discovery’s launch in August, a parachute on one of the two boosters ripped slightly. The other parachute compensated, however, and the retrieved booster was not damaged. Engineers still do not know what caused the problem.

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