The rocket engine of the Space Launch System (SLS) was tested over the weekend as part of the preparations for NASA’s Artemis I lunar mission. Instead of simulating the complete rocket launch of eight minutes, the four RS – 25 rocket drives switched off after only a little more than a minute.

NASA has not yet given a reason for the shutdown. In the live broadcast on NASA TV one of the engineers mentioned the failure of a main component (“Main Component Failure”) in one of the seconds after the ignition four drives. In this phase the system runs automatically. About 20 seconds later, the rocket engines switched off automatically.

The test of the rocket engines was designed for eight minutes. That is exactly the time for the start of the SLS and until the rocket reaches space.

Success despite cancellation NASA Boss Jim Bridenstine called the propulsion test an important development step to ensure that the SLS rocket is ready for the Artemis I lunar mission. SLS is supposed to be transporting astronauts one day. Even though the drives did not fire for the entire time, the team was able to collect important data.

SLS project manager John Shannon from drive manufacturer Boeing stated a few days before the drive test that in the event of a crash, all the necessary Data would be collected within around 250 seconds. Now the rocket engines have only been running for a quarter of this time.

NASA is now analyzing the collected data and will then decide whether another drive test is necessary. This could take place in three to four weeks at the earliest if the rocket engines do not have to be repaired or partially replaced.

Delayed moon mission still on schedule In the opinion of NASA boss Bridenstine, it is still too early to talk about a possible postponement of the Artemis I moon mission planned for the end of this year. This depends on the reason for aborting the drive test. If it was easy to fix, the rocket engines could be brought to the Kennedy Space Center and prepared for the launch of Artemis I.

Actually, SLS should already be 2017 start with an Orion capsule. NASA had to make the maiden flight of its giant rocket differently. At Artemis I, an unmanned Orion capsule is supposed to be shot to the moon and circle it once before it comes back.

(fds)