L3Harris has completed assembly of the first RS-25 engine for the Space Launch System rocket (SLS), which will be used as part of the Artemis V mission. Engine E20001, which is fully assembled at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, preparing for tests.
Key parts of the RS-25 engine
- E20001 is one of four new engines, which will provide thrust for the SLS main stage during the Artemis V mission.
- The previous four Artemis missions used modified engines from the Space Shuttle program.
- The new engines are built from scratch for the first time using modern manufacturing technologies.
Stages of testing
The next step is testing on the Fred Haise stand (former A-1 Test Stand) at NASA Stennis Base.
- Тривалість тесту: 500 seconds (еквівалент роботи під час польоту).
- Режими роботи:
- Максимальна тяга: 111% від номінальної потужності двигуна шатлу.
- Зменшення до 80%, потім повернення до повного навантаження.
- Goal: checking engine characteristics before using it in SLS.
New technologies in RS-25 engines
To reduce cost and production time, The RS-25 received a number of engineering upgrades:
- 3D-printed components, which reduce the number of parts and stages of assembly.
- Optimized structural elements:
- The main combustion chamber, nozzle and power head have fewer weld joints, which increases reliability.