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J-2X powerpack test Tuesday at SSC
NASA/SSC photo |
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- A J-2X powerpack was test fired Tuesday for 1,350 seconds on the A-1 test stand, surpassing the 1,150-second firing of June 8. The powerpack sits atop the J-2X engine and feeds the thrust chamber, which produces the engine fire and thrust. The advantage of testing the powerpack without the thrust chamber is to operate over a wide range of conditions to understand safe limits. The test Tuesday gathered data on performance of the liquid oxygen and fuel pumps during extreme conditions. The Rocketdyne J-2X engine will power the upper-stage of a planned two-stage Space Launch System, which will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads for missions beyond low Earth orbit. (Source:
NASA, 07/24/12) Previous:
J-2X goes the distance;
Powerpack test sets record
