NASA is set to begin a new round of tests for development of RS-25 engines that will help power the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on future missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars. The first test of the new series is set for Jan. 28 on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

The seven-test series will use RS-25 developmental engine No. 0528 and will provide valuable data for Aerojet Rocketdyne, prime contractor for the SLS engines, as it begins production of new RS-25 engines for use after the first four SLS flights.

This test series will prove that the RS-25 production restart engines can be built with the same high performance but with more affordability. This is a big milestone that will greatly contribute to the future sustainability of SLS.

The engine will be fired seven times for a total of 3,650 seconds during the first half of 2021. The schedule calls for six full-duration tests of about eight and a half minutes (500 seconds) and one hot fire of just under 11 minutes (650 seconds). A full duration test refers to the time the engine must fire during an actual launch in order to power SLS towards orbit.

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