NASA is edging closer to launching new RS-25 engines for the Space Launch System (SLS), designed to propel Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. A scheduled hot fire test on February 23 marks a significant step toward the production of these advanced engines.
Continued Testing at Stennis
At Mississippi’s Stennis Space Center, NASA technicians have installed a second production nozzle on an RS-25 engine at the Fred Haise Test Stand. This installation is a precursor to the second set of a comprehensive 12-test certification series aimed at qualifying the new RS-25 engines.
Next-Generation Manufacturing
The remaining six hot fires will conclude the series, providing essential data to certify an updated engine production process. These advancements stem from modern manufacturing techniques by Aerojet Rocketdyne, enhancing production efficiency and affordability for lead engines without compromising on performance or reliability.
To meet the immense power requirements of the SLS rocket during Artemis missions, four RS-25 engines will operate in conjunction with two solid rocket boosters, generating over 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
In the seventh test of the series, the engine will undergo a 550-second burn, exceeding the actual 500-second burn needed for launching the SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft and astronauts on board. According to Chip Ellis, project manager for RS-25 testing at Stennis, this exemplifies NASA’s dedication to safety and realistic testing conditions.
The deployment of a second certification engine nozzle allows for the collection of additional data on performance enhancements. This February, engineers employed specialized techniques to replace the nozzle while the engine remained mounted on the test stand.
The updated nozzle production will enable Aerojet Rocketdyne to streamline manufacturing, having already reduced labor efforts by 17% between the first two production units. Shawn Buckley, the company’s RS-25 nozzle integrated product team lead, lauds the nozzle as both a masterpiece of machinery and a symbol of human ambition to return to the Moon. Following the test series, Aerojet Rocketdyne is set to begin producing 24 new RS-25 engines for NASA, marking the first new production since the space shuttle era. These engines will propel missions starting with Artemis V, as part of NASA’s broader aim to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon, facilitate lunar scientific exploration, and prepare for future journeys to Mars.
