NASA will conduct a second hot-firing test of its SLS super-heavy launch vehicle later this month. For now, the Artemis I mission is still scheduled to be launched in November, despite a very tight schedule.
On January 16, NASA fired up the four main engines (RS-25s) of the central stage of the SLS, its super-heavy launcher responsible for sending humans to the moon. During this test, these should burn for approximately eight minutes , which is the same amount of time it will take to propel the rocket into space after launch. Unfortunately, the flight control center reported a major component failure with the vehicle's fourth engine approximately fifty seconds into the test. This one finally closed after 67 seconds .
Since that failed test, engineers from NASA, Boeing (the rocket's prime contractor), and engine maker, Aerojet Rocketdyne, have been studying the test data to determine what went wrong. A key question was also whether or not another hot-firing test would be needed before the highly anticipated Artemis I mission, in which an uncrewed Orion capsule will circle the Moon before returning to Earth.
Answer:NASA will indeed conduct a second hot engine test at the end of next February, agency officials said Friday. Following this first test, main stage hardware, including RS-25 engines and the B-2 test bed at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, remains in " excellent condition " , according to the same statement, “ and no major repairs are needed .
“While waiting for this next test, the team, while continuing to analyze the data from the first shot, dry and refurbish the SLS engines, carry out minor repairs on the system thermal protection system, and updates the conservative control logic settings that were responsible for the first test ending early” , continues the agency.
This second try, which should last at least four minutes , will provide additional data to help researchers certify the first stage of the super-heavy launch vehicle.
After this test, the team will take about a month to get this booster and rocket engines back to "new" condition before transferring everything to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the SLS will be ready to be assembled (second stage + Orion capsule).
