Thursday, May 28, 2015

NASA conducts RS-25 test

RS-25 test at Stennis Space Center.
NASA photo
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – An RS-25 rocket engine had a successful 450-second test Thursday at NASA's Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi. The hotfire test was at the historic A-1 test stand, where Apollo rocket stages and Space Shuttle main engines, RS-25s, also were tested. One of the objectives being evaluated in this test is the new engine controller, or "brain" of the engine. The controller monitors the engine conditions and communicates the performance needs. RS-25 engines tested on the stand will power the core stage of NASA's new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), which is being developed to carry humans deeper into space than ever before. A cluster of four RS-25 engines will power the core stage of the SLS. NASA engineers conducted an initial RS-25 engine test on the A-1 stand Jan. 9. RS-25 testing now is set to continue through the summer. (Source: NASA/SSC, 05/28/15)