S23-000 NASA Enters Stretch Run in Critical Moon Rocket Engine Test Series

NASA entered the stretch run of a key RS-25 certification engine test series with a successful hot fire June 1, continuing to set the stage for future Artemis missions to the Moon. The test on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, marked the ninth in a critical 12-test series. The series is designed to certify production of new RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne for future deep space missions, beginning with Artemis V. Operators powered the RS-25 engine for more than eight minutes (500 seconds), the same amount of time needed to help launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and lift astronauts and the Orion spacecraft into orbit. The engine also was fired up to 113% power, exceeding the 111% needed to lift astronauts to provide engineers with a margin of operational safety. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to help launch each SLS rocket, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust.