NASA Puts Space Launch System Engine Through 1st Hot-Fire Test

NASA has completed an initial, 500-second hot-fire test on the RS-25 engine for Boeing‘s Space Launch System at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi in preparation for the rocket’s future missions to deep space.

The space agency said Friday its engineers checked the inlet pressure conditions and engine controller unit and will continue with further tests in April.

“We’ve made modifications to the RS-25 to meet SLS specifications and will analyze and test a variety of conditions during the hot fire series,” said Steve Wofford, manager of Marshall Space Flight Center’s SLS liquid engines office.

The current RS-25 development engine will undergo a total of eight tests for a total of approximately 58 hours, which will be followed by 10 tests on another development engine for a total of 75 hours, NASA stated.

According to the agency, it will then check the flight controllers and SLS’ lift capacity to bring the Orion spacecraft past low Earth orbit.