Apr. 14, 2011

Rebecca Strecker, NASA News Chief
NASA Public Affairs Office
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
(228) 688-3249
Rebecca.A.Strecker@nasa.gov
RELEASE: CLT-11-041

A-3 STAND 'TOPS OUT' WITH TEST CELL DOME INSTALLATION

A construction "topping out" milestone was reached on April 13 with 
placement of the test cell dome atop NASA's new A-3 Test Stand at the 
John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi. 

NASA broke ground in 2007 for the new stand, which is being built to 
provide simulated high-altitude testing for next-generation rocket 
engines that will carry humans into deep space. The stand will use a 
series of chemical steam generator to create a vacuum that allows 
operators to test full-scale engines at simulated altitudes up to 
100,000 feet. 

The A-3 stand is the first large test structure to be built at Stennis 
since the facility was established to test Saturn V rocket stages 
that helped carry Apollo astronauts to the moon. The A-3 Test Stand 
is scheduled for activation in 2013. 

For information about Stennis Space Center, visit: 
http://www.nasa.gov/stennis.

	
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