WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — NASA engineers carried out a successful test of RS-25 rocket engine for the Space Launch System (SLS), built for space flights deeper into space, including to Mars, NASA said in a statement Saturday.
"NASA engineers conducted a successful developmental test of RS-25 rocket engine No. 0528 July 29, 2016, to collect critical performance data for the most powerful rocket in the world – the Space Launch System (SLS)," the statement reads.
The SLS will be powered by four RS-25 engines together with a pair of solid rocket boosters during core stage at launch.
The NASA carried out the first series of developmental tests on RS-25 in 2015, the second series began on July 14 and will include four more firings to check the new engine controller and operating parameters, the next one is scheduled for August 18.
All the SLS flight tests are held at the NASA Stennis Space Center, which is expected to host the core stage testing for the first integrated SLS mission and Orion crew exploration spacecraft during Exploration Mission-1.
