 |
RS-25 test. NASA photo
|
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA conducted a fifth RS-25 single-engine hot fire test July 14 in its seven-part test series, supporting development and production of engines for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Operators fired the engine for more than eight minutes (500 seconds) on the A-1 Test Stand, providing data to Aerojet Rocketdyne, lead contractor for the SLS engines, as it produces engines for use after the first four SLS flights. Four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, will help power SLS, firing simultaneously to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust at launch and 2 million pounds during ascent. Testing of RS-25 engines for the first four Artemis program missions to the Moon have been completed, and operators are now focused on collecting data to evaluate new engine components manufactured with cutting-edge technologies. During the July 14 test, the team fired the engine at 111% of its original power level for a set time, the same level that RS-25 engines are required to operate during launch, as well as 113%, which allowed operators to test a margin of safety. (Source:
NASA/SSC, 07/14/21)
Previous
