We are just days away from the first test of the world’s most powerful solid rocket booster ever built, currently scheduled for the 11th March.
The booster, named Qualification Motor 1, will ignite at 15:30 UTC. Anchored down to the ground at Orbital ATK’s test facility in Promontory, Utah, the booster will burn for a full duration test of two minutes. The test will collect data on 103 design objectives as measured through 534 instrumentation channels on the QM-1 booster.
The five segment booster is based upon the four segment booster that powered the Space Shuttles through the early stages of their flight. However, as a new segment has been added, tests must be performed so that it can be requalified to launch the SLS and humans that will fly aboard in in the future. Using this tried and tested method, NASA hopes to get SLS flying as soon as possible. The booster will be a key component of the NASA’s future heavy lift rocket, which will aim to rival the Saturn V in capability. The first flight of the SLS, known as Exploration Mission-1, is currently scheduled for November 2018 and will carry an unmanned Orion capsule on a three week expedition beyond the Moon and back.
Want to want the test live? Make sure to head over to NASA TV at 15:30 UTC (11:30 EST) on the 11th March to see it in action!
The booster, named Qualification Motor 1, will ignite at 15:30 UTC. Anchored down to the ground at Orbital ATK’s test facility in Promontory, Utah, the booster will burn for a full duration test of two minutes. The test will collect data on 103 design objectives as measured through 534 instrumentation channels on the QM-1 booster.
The five segment booster is based upon the four segment booster that powered the Space Shuttles through the early stages of their flight. However, as a new segment has been added, tests must be performed so that it can be requalified to launch the SLS and humans that will fly aboard in in the future. Using this tried and tested method, NASA hopes to get SLS flying as soon as possible. The booster will be a key component of the NASA’s future heavy lift rocket, which will aim to rival the Saturn V in capability. The first flight of the SLS, known as Exploration Mission-1, is currently scheduled for November 2018 and will carry an unmanned Orion capsule on a three week expedition beyond the Moon and back.
Want to want the test live? Make sure to head over to NASA TV at 15:30 UTC (11:30 EST) on the 11th March to see it in action!