Aerospace and defence company Boeing and Nasa have completed the hot fire test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage.
The test was conducted at Nasa’s Stennis Space Centre under the SLS rocket’s Green Run test campaign on the B-2 test stand.
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The core stage’s engines powered up eight minutes and 19 seconds during the test and provided important data for verification.
The test data proved the core stage’s successful operation and will support its certification for flight.
The core stage will be transported to Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida after post-test checkout. It will be integrated with the Orion crew spacecraft, Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage upper stage, and solid rocket boosters.
Boeing SLS vice-president and programme manager John Shannon said: “Deep space exploration took an important step forward today.
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By GlobalData“The advancements made on the all-new SLS core stage are positive for Nasa and the national supply chain. The team is using knowledge gained from Green Run to move forward on our new production system and future stages while delivering the first stage for test flight.”
Built by Boeing, the SLS core stage is fuelled by liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks that feed four RS-25 engines built by Aerojet Rocketdyne.
During the test and launch, the four engines generate 1.6Mlb of thrust during the test and at launch while they produce 2.2Mlb of thrust during a mission.
Once completed, the vehicle will fly the first uncrewed mission of Nasa’s Artemis programme, named Artemis I.
The SLS will continue to evolve past Artemis III, as it prepares for crewed missions with Nasa aiming to land the first woman and next man on the Moon.
Boeing is developing evolvable capabilities for the rocket system such as the Exploration Upper Stage.
