Saturday, July 16, 2016

RS-68A successfully tested

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- Aerojet Rocketdyne on Friday successfully completed its latest acceptance test on a liquid-fueled RS-68A booster engine, used to power United Launch Alliance's Delta IV launch vehicle. The routine three-minute hot-fire test was conducted by the company's Center of Excellence for Large Liquid Rocket Engine Assembly and Test at SSC. This is Aerojet Rocketdyne's 119th hot-fire test on the production model of the RS-68 engine family. The RS-68A is the world's most powerful liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen booster engine and provides 702,000 pounds of lift-off thrust, some 17 million horsepower. The test of the RS-68A, certified for use in 2011, is part of acceptance testing done to validate engine performance before delivery to the customer in Decatur, Ala. (Source: Aerojet Rocketdyne, 07/15/16)