NASA completed its penultimate hot fire June 15 in a key test series to certify production of new RS-25 engines for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will help power future Artemis missions to the Moon and continue the agency’s efforts to explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
More than 500 NASA Stennis, NASA Shared Services Center, and NASA contractor employees and family members viewed the hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, which marked the 11th in the 12-test series. The final test of the series is scheduled June 22 and will set the stage for SLS engines lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne to manufacture new RS-25 engines for future deep space missions, beginning with Artemis V.
During the June 15 test, operators powered the RS-25 engine for more than eight minutes (500 seconds). The test duration is the same amount of time needed to help launch the SLS rocket and send astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft into orbit. Operators also tested the engine up to 113% power, exceeding the 111% level needed during launch and providing a margin of operational safety.
The SLS mega rocket is powered, in part, by four RS-25 engines, firing simultaneously to produce as much as 2 million pounds of combined thrust. NASA launched the maiden Artemis I mission last November and is working toward future Artemis missions to return humans, including the first woman and first person of color, to the Moon, with the crew of Artemis II set to begin training soon. The agency will use the Artemis missions to establish a long-term presence on the Moon while preparing technologies and capabilities needed to send humans to Mars.
RS-25 tests at NASA Stennis are conducted by a diverse team of operators from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Syncom Space Services, prime contractor for site facilities and operations.
