Tag: SSME
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Stennis conducts SLS engine firing marking RS-25 return
NASA’s Stennis Space Center has test fired the first RS-25 (unit E0525) of the Space Launch System (SLS) era on Friday, marking the beginning of a new career for the famous engine. Four of the former Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) are set to power each SLS during the ride to orbit, opening with Exploration…
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NASA ready to power up the RS-25 engines for SLS
NASA is finally ready to begin the test fire and development program for the engines that will push the Space Launch System (SLS) uphill in 2018 and beyond. The RS-25 – formally known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) – will enjoy a test program that will also evaluate higher inlet pressures and a state…
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SLS engine testing delayed due to test stand contamination
The return of RS-25 engine testing at the Stennis Space Center has been delayed, following the discovery of a contamination issue involving cloth fibers inside the A-1 test stand duct system. Engine 0525 – which will be the first RS-25 to be test fired since the end of the Shuttle Program – has to be removed…
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RS-25 engine installed for Stennis testing amid SLS schedule debate
The Stennis Space Center is just weeks away from returning to RS-25 engine testing, following the installation of Engine 0525 on the A-1 Test Stand. The milestone comes as the launch date for the first Space Launch System (SLS) mission – Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1) – is almost certain to slip by at least six months,…
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Pegasus Barge to begin renovations for SLS core shipping
NASA’s famous Pegasus Barge – best known for transporting External Tanks from the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) – is about to be handed over to a contractor for the modifications that will allow it to transport Space Launch System (SLS) Cores to Florida. The modifications will include the barge…
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Four Shuttle veterans selected to drive SLS uphill on maiden flight
The four RS-25 engines selected for the debut launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) are veteran Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) with a rich history of successful flight. The four engines will be delivered to the Michoud Assembly Facility in the second half of 2015, ahead of being installed on the core stage of…
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RS-25 Second Life: SLS Core Stage engine set for summer testing
The RS-25 – the engine that enjoyed a hugely successful career with the Space Shuttle fleet – is set to begin its new life with the Space Launch System (SLS) this summer. Testing at the Stennis Space Center will initially focus on a new Main Engine Controller (MEC) and the ability to accommodate the full range of…
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SMAT fires up to open SLS acoustic testing
The Scale Model Acoustic Test (SMAT) – a mini-me version of the SLS – has fired up for the first time at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The tests are focused on providing data to engineering teams who are tasked with designing the Sound Suppression System that will protect the Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle…
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Stennis preparing to throttle up SLS engine testing
NASA’s Stennis Space Center is deep into preparations for numerous engine testing for the Space Launch System (SLS), ranging from the old, the new and the miniature. Continued J-2X testing will next take place on the A-2 Test Stand, while the A-1 Test Stand will conduct RS-25 testing next year. Meanwhile the 116 Test Stand…
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The engines that refused to retire – RS-25s prepare for SLS testing
Following a 30 year career with the Space Shuttle Program, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s RS-25 engines are now preparing for their next role, with the Space Launch System (SLS). Tests involving the former Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) will begin at the Stennis Space Center in 2014. RS-25: The SSME has provided safe flight for…