Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




ROCKET SCIENCE
A Summer of Records for Engine Testing
by Staff Writers
Stennis MS (SPX) Jul 27, 2012


The J-2X engine will power the upper-stage of a planned two-stage Space Launch System, or SLS. The SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads, and provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

As Olympic athletes converge on London with dreams of winning gold in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, NASA is also setting records while testing the J-2X powerpack at the Stennis Space Center.

The first time was June 8, when engineers went the distance and set the Test Complex A record with a 1,150-second firing of the developmental powerpack assembly.

On July 24, engineers surpassed that record with a 1,350-second test of the engine component on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis. The powerpack is a system of components on the top portion of the J-2X engine. On the complete J-2X engine, the powerpack feeds the thrust chamber, which produces the engine fire and thrust.

The advantage of testing the powerpack without the thrust chamber is to operate over a wide range of conditions to understand safe limits.

The July 24 test specifically gathered data on performance of the liquid oxygen and fuel pumps during extreme conditions.

The test data provides critical information for continued development of the turbopump for use on the J-2X engine, the first human-rated liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen rocket engine to be developed in four decades.

The J-2X is being built by Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

The J-2X engine will power the upper-stage of a planned two-stage Space Launch System, or SLS. The SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads, and provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

Designed to be safe, affordable and flexible for crew and cargo missions, the SLS will continue America's journey of discovery and exploration to destinations including nearby asteroids, Lagrange points, the moon and ultimately, Mars.

.


Related Links
Space Launch System
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








ROCKET SCIENCE
United Technologies to sell Rocketdyne unit to GenCorp
Hartford CT (SPX) Jul 26, 2012
United Technologies has reached agreement to sell its Rocketdyne unit, currently part of Pratt and Whitney, to GenCorp Inc. for $550 million. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2013. As previously announced, proceeds from the sale will be used to repay a portion of the short-term debt incurred to finance the proposed acquisition of Goodrich Corporation. The transacti ... read more


ROCKET SCIENCE
Another Small Step for Mankind

Russia starts building Moon spaceship, eyes Lunar base

Plans to revisit Moon impeded by financial difficulties

Russia says no manned moon shots till 2018

ROCKET SCIENCE
Mars Orbiter Repositioned to Phone Home Mars Landing

Opportunity Picks up the Pace With Several Drives This Week

Taking the Heat Lockheed Martin Aeroshell Will Protect Mars Science Lab Descent

Mystery of missing Mars signals solved

ROCKET SCIENCE
XCOR Releases Payload Users Guide for Lynx Suborbital Vehicle

NASA Offers Condolences on the Passing of Pioneering Astronaut Sally Ride

Sally Ride, first US woman in space dead at 61

America Invents Act is a game changer

ROCKET SCIENCE
Looking Forward to Shenzhou 10

Argentina, China ink space cooperation deal

Looking Forward to Shenzhou 10

Astronauts in good shape after return

ROCKET SCIENCE
Another Progress Freighter Re-Docking Attempt Set for July 29

Japanese cargo craft docks with ISS

White Stork Delivers New Research and Technology Investigations to ISS

Russian cargo ship fails to dock at ISS: NASA

ROCKET SCIENCE
The Intelsat 20 integrated on to Ariane 5 for upcoming flight

Arianespace's Ariane 5 receives its HYLAS 2 payload

Initial build-up is underway for Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 launch in 2012

U.S. Bank Helps Fuel Future Space Flight as Bank behind SpaceX

ROCKET SCIENCE
RIT Leads Development of Next-generation Infrared Detectors

UCF Discovers Exoplanet Neighbor

Can Astronomers Detect Exoplanet Oceans

The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Dust

ROCKET SCIENCE
Apple pitches gadget security to hacker crowd

Bolivian satellite operators to be trained in China

Scientists create artificial mother of pearl

Google seeks to close book in author copyright case




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement