14 DAY TRIAL // Officials at the American space agency announce the second scheduled test firing of the J-2X thruster it is developing for its next-generation heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System. NASA is working with Canoga Park, California-based Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne on this project.
The engine is currently installed on the A-2 Test Stand at the NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC), in Mississippi. The first successful test firing occurred last year, and was meant to give engineers a chance to get acquainted with the thruster's basic performances.
J-2X will not make up the core propulsion stage for the SLS. Rather, it will power the rocket's second stage. The vehicle, the largest to be built by the United States since the Saturn V delivery systems that sent the Apollo capsules to the Moon, will be capable of deep-space missions.
During the second test, engineers will simulate high-altitude conditions, where atmospheric pressure is very low. This will enable them to collect nozzle information and other data that are absolutely necessary for fine-tuning the motor later on in its development.
“The first round of testing helped us get to know the engine, how it operates and its basic performance characteristics. Now, we're looking forward to testing J-2X in the SLS flight configuration, collecting nozzle data and continuing to learn about the performance of the engine itself,” Tom Byrd explains.
The expert is the J-2X engine lead, and is based at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) SLS Liquid Engines Office, in Huntsville, Alabama. The test motor has been dubbed E10001.
“We're making steady and tangible progress on our new heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts on journeys to destinations farther in our solar system,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said after a recent visit to the SSC.
“As we continue test firings of the J-2X engine and a myriad of other work to open the next great chapter of exploration, we're demonstrating our commitment right now to America's continued leadership in space,” the top NASA official added.
By the end of 2012, Pratt and Whitney and NASA are scheduled to conduct a total of 16 tests on the upgraded J-2X. The core of this motor is the same as the one used for the Space Shuttle Program for the last 30 years.
The first launch of the SLS is scheduled to occur in 2017. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), which is the capsule NASA is developing for deep-space exploration, will carry out its maiden flight in 2013 or 2014.