Volume 17 Issue 2 www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis February 2021 RS-25 engine – fired up! See page 3 Page 2 LAGNIAPPE February 2021 his year marks pretty big anniversaries for hu- I was one of those watching and listening. The mo- man space exploration, NASA, and Stennis ment still defines the word “breathtaking” for me and Talike. In April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the yet remains my favorite memory for so many reasons. first human to fly to space. Alan Shepherd followed It revealed the courage of humans to reach beyond a month later to as the first American to reach space. the known and the ingenuity of humans working Then, in October, NASA announced its plan to build a together with will. It opened the door to the inevitable propulsion test site, now known as Stennis Space Cen- moment of just seven months later as humans stepped ter, in south Mississippi. I sure hope someone provides onto the lunar surface for the first time. And it fueled cake for each of those anniversaries. Ark! dreams of all that was possible, including a trip to Mars that humans now are preparing to make. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of human space exploration, NASA is asking folk about their Apollo 8 also fully revealed for the first time the favorite moment from the last 60 years of human central role Stennis Space Center was destined to play spaceflight. For ol‘ Gator, the answer is easy. in such grand achievements and in the entire grand future of human space exploration. With the flight, The moment came late in 1968 as the Apollo 8 mis- Borman, Lovell and Anders not only became the first sion carried three astronauts on human’s first trip to fly to the Moon but the first to fly powered by a around the Moon. The first trip around the dark side rocket stage tested at Stennis – the Saturn V S-II-3. of the Moon came on Christmas Eve and stands as The following July, astronauts flew to the lunar surface one of the most iconic moments of human space on first and second stages tested at Stennis. exploration. For the first time, humans viewed Earth in an entirely new way as astronauts Frank Borman, Decades later and counting, humans still fly powered Jim Lovell and Bill Anders emerged from the dark side by Stennis – and as they raise their eyes to go even of the Moon and beamed home footage of “the good farther and deeper into space, I can hardly what to see Earth” rising like the Sun above the lunar horizon. the wonders they allow us all to behold. Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center. Access monthly copies at: www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/news/publications/index.html Contact info – (phone) 228-688-3749; (email) [email protected]; (mail) NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1100 Room 304, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 Subscribe at: https://lists.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/stennis-space-center-lagniappe Managing Editor – Valerie Buckingham Editor – Lacy Thompson Staff Photographer – Danny Nowlin Page 3 LAGNIAPPE February 2021 NASA conducts 1st hot fire in new series of developmental tests for RS-25 engine ASA conducted the first hot fire Jan. 28 in a new tured thrust vector control system also was finalized and NASA conducts the first hot fire round of tests for development of RS-25 engines installed during this time. Jan. 28 in a new series of tests for that will help power the agency’s Space Launch production of RS-25 engines that N will help power the agency’s Space System (SLS) rocket on future missions to the Moon and, “It is exciting to return to hot fire testing at the A-1 Test eventually, Mars. The hot fire was conducted on the A-1 Stand,” Stennis RS-25 Project Manager Chip Ellis said. Launch System (SLS) rocket on fu- Test Stand at Stennis. “We have worked hard the last 20 or so months to com- ture deep space missions. The test of RS-25 developmental engine plete needed test stand maintenance projects. Now, the No. 0528 on the A-1 Test Stand The seven-test series will use RS-25 developmental en- team is ready to get back to the business of testing for at Stennis, marks the beginning gine No. 0528 and will provide valuable data for Aerojet future deep space missions.” of a seven-test series designed to Rocketdyne, prime contractor for the SLS engines, as it provide valuable data to Aerojet begins production of new RS-25 engines for use after The engine will be fired seven times for a total of 3,650 Rocketdyne, lead contractor for the first four SLS flights. Operators will focus on evaluat- seconds during the first half of 2021. The schedule calls SLS engines, as the company ing new engine components for six full-duration tests begins production of new RS-25 and reducing risk in engine of about eight-and-a-half engines. Four RS-25 engines help operation. They also will fire minutes (500 seconds) and power SLS at launch, firing simulta- the engine through a range one hot fire of just under neously to generate a combined of operating conditions to It is exciting 11 minutes (650 seconds). A 1.6 million pounds of thrust at demonstrate and verify its full duration test refers to the launch and 2 million pounds of capabilities. to get back ... to the time the engine must fire dur- thrust during ascent. The RS-25 ing an actual launch in order engines for the first four SLS flights are upgraded space shuttle main The test series will provide to power SLS towards orbit. engines and have completed data to enhance production business of testing Longer duration hot fires are certification testing. NASA now of new RS-25 engines and conducted to test the limits of is focused on providing data to several engine components engine performance. enhance production of new RS-25 that are being manufactured for future deep space engines and components for use with cutting-edge and cost- For about half of the firing on subsequent SLS missions. The saving technologies. Op- missions. time, the engines will oper- new test series will evaluate the erators also will demonstrate ate at 111 of the power level performance of engine components engine gimbaling capabili- RS-25 Project Director Chip Ellis at which the original space made with cutting-edge manufac- ties, using a newly installed shuttle main engines were de- turing technologies and techniques. thrust vector control system. signed to perform. Operators The testing is part of NASA’s and “Gimbaling” refers to how will also demonstrate opera- Aerojet Rocketdyne’s effort to use the engine must move on a tight circular axis in order to tion at the 113 percent power level for an extended period, advanced manufacturing methods to significantly reduce the cost and ensure proper flight trajectory. as was initially demonstrated in a Feb. 2018 hot fire. time needed to build new RS-25 engines. For the Jan. 28 test, the “We’re going to evaluate these newly designed parts that The previous round of RS-25 testing concluded April 4, RS-25 developmental engine was were made using advanced manufacturing techniques,” 2019, and focused primarily on validating new operating fired for a full duration of about said Johnny Heflin, SLS liquid engines manager at Marshall parameters for the initial RS-25 engines, which are modi- eight-and-a-half minutes (500 Space Flight Center,where the SLS Program is based. “This fied heritage space shuttle main engines. The series also in- seconds), the same amount of time test series will prove that the RS-25 production restart en- cluded acceptance testing of 16 former space shuttle main the engines must fire to help send gines can be built with the same high performance but with engines that will help launch the first four SLS missions. SLS to orbit. The engine was fired more affordability. This is a big milestone that will greatly at 111 percent of its original space contribute to the future sustainability of SLS.” The new RS-25 test series begins as a separate test series, shuttle main engine design power called Green Run, is in its final phase. Green Run is a and the same power level needed Resumption of RS-25 single-engine testing on the A-1 comprehensive series of tests on the core stage of the SLS to help launch SLS on its missions. Test Stand follows completion of major maintenance work rocket, which includes four RS-25 engines, and culminates The hot fire marks the first test on the historic stand since April 2019, on the facility originally built for Apollo Program testing with a final test to fire all four together for about eight when NASA concluded testing of more than 50 years ago. Projects designed to ensure the fa- minutes. RS-25 engines for the first four cility continues functioning at a high level included upgrad- SLS missions. Since that time, ing piping and the test stand flame deflector, painting the The Green Run team recently fired all four RS-25 engines Stennis teams have worked to 40,000-gallon liquid oxygen 100,000-gallon liquid hydrogen together for the first time. However, that test experienced complete major maintenance and tanks, remodeling the Test Control Center, and upgrading an automatic shutdown after 67 seconds. Operators were upgrade projects to the A-1 Test the data acquisition system, facility cameras, and facility planning a second hot fire test of the core stage by the end Stand and its systems to ensure control systems.