The powerful RS-25 engine fired on Friday, kicking off the hotfire testing for the SLS rocket being developed by NASA. The test, which lasted 500 seconds, took place on the A-1 test stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, located in southern Mississippi.
The aim is for the engine to feature on the SLS rocket as part of the core stage engines that will initially lift the mega rocket off the launch pad and beyond. There will be four of the engines on each flight of the SLS, the first expected to launch in 2018.
The engines were built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The RS-25 engine is a modified version of the engines that powered the Space Shuttle into orbit. Upgrades are to be made to the engine to make it more technologically advanced, as much of the engine is 1980s technology.
“The RS-25 is the most efficient engine of its type in the world,” Steve Wofford, the manager of the SLS liquid engines office at the Marshall Space Flight Center, said. “It’s got a remarkable history of success and a great experience base that make it a great choice for NASA’s next era of exploration.”
There are eight more tests planned for the engine in the coming months, with the test duration totaling 3500 seconds.
The aim is for the engine to feature on the SLS rocket as part of the core stage engines that will initially lift the mega rocket off the launch pad and beyond. There will be four of the engines on each flight of the SLS, the first expected to launch in 2018.
The engines were built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The RS-25 engine is a modified version of the engines that powered the Space Shuttle into orbit. Upgrades are to be made to the engine to make it more technologically advanced, as much of the engine is 1980s technology.
“The RS-25 is the most efficient engine of its type in the world,” Steve Wofford, the manager of the SLS liquid engines office at the Marshall Space Flight Center, said. “It’s got a remarkable history of success and a great experience base that make it a great choice for NASA’s next era of exploration.”
There are eight more tests planned for the engine in the coming months, with the test duration totaling 3500 seconds.