Aerojet Rocketdyne has conducted another acceptance test on the RS-68A, a liquid-fueled booster engine that propels United Launch Alliance‘s Delta IV launch vehicle.
The company’s Center of Excellence for Large Liquid Rocket Engine Assembly and Test administered the three-minute hot-fire test on the engine at NASA‘s Stennis Space Center, Aerojet Rocketdyne said Friday.
The test works to assess engine performance before its delivery to the customer facility in Alabama, the company added.
Eileen Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president, said booster engine reliability is crucial as the RS-68A supports the Delta IV launch vehicle and its payloads.
The RS-68A is a liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen booster engine designed to provide 702,000 pounds of liftoff thrust and was certified for use in 2011.