NASA will begin a new RS-25 test series Oct. 5, the final round of certification testing ahead of production of an updated set of engines for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
The engines will help power future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
A series of 12 tests stretching into 2024 is scheduled to occur on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis. The tests are a key step for lead SLS engines contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, to produce engines that will help power the SLS rocket, beginning with Artemis V.
For each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS rocket, producing more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
All 12 tests in the new series are scheduled for at least 500 seconds, the same amount of time the engines must fire during an actual launch.
The 12-test series will use developmental engine E0525 to collect data for the final RS-25 design certification review. The engine features a second set of new key components, including a nozzle, hydraulic actuators, flex ducts, and turbopumps. The components match design features of those used during the initial certification test series completed at the south Mississippi site in June.
The longest test of the new series is planned for 650 seconds. Crews will conduct a gimbal test of the engine to ensure it can pivot as needed to help SLS maintain stability and trajectory during flight.
The Oct. 5 test is scheduled for 550 seconds and will fire the RS-25 engine up to 111% power level.
