The largest, most powerful booster ever
built for NASA's new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), will fire
up for a ground test at 11:30 a.m. EDT March 11, at Orbital ATK
Propulsion Systems' test facilities in Promontory, Utah.
The two-minute static test is a
significant milestone for the SLS as part of NASA's journey to Mars,
and follows years of development. It is one of two ground tests to
qualify the booster for flight. A second test is planned for early
2016. Once qualification is complete, the hardware will be ready to
help send the rocket, along with NASA's Orion spacecraft, on its
first flight test.
A public viewing area is available
along State Road 83 North approximately 20 miles west of Corinne,
Utah. The gate to the public viewing area opens at 9 a.m. EDT March11. Overflow parking is available, if needed.
When completed, two solid-rocket boosters and four RS-25 main engines will power the SLS as it begins its deep space missions. The boosters operate in parallel with the main engines for the first two minutes of flight, providing more than 75 percent of the thrust needed for the rocket to escape Earth's gravitational pull.
The first flight test of the SLS will feature a configuration for a 70-metric-ton (77-ton) lift capacity and carry an uncrewed Orion spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit to test the performance of the integrated system. As the SLS is updated, it will provide an unprecedented lift capability of 130 metric tons (143 tons) to enable missions even farther into the solar system.
When completed, two solid-rocket boosters and four RS-25 main engines will power the SLS as it begins its deep space missions. The boosters operate in parallel with the main engines for the first two minutes of flight, providing more than 75 percent of the thrust needed for the rocket to escape Earth's gravitational pull.
The first flight test of the SLS will feature a configuration for a 70-metric-ton (77-ton) lift capacity and carry an uncrewed Orion spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit to test the performance of the integrated system. As the SLS is updated, it will provide an unprecedented lift capability of 130 metric tons (143 tons) to enable missions even farther into the solar system.
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