NASA, ATK successfully test largest and most powerful solid rocket motor
September 1st, 2010 - 12:51 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Sept 1 (ANI): NASA and ATK Aerospace Systems have successfully completed a two-minute, full-scale test of the largest and most powerful solid rocket motor designed for flight.
The stationary firing of the first-stage development solid rocket motor, dubbed DM-2, was the most heavily instrumented solid rocket motor test in NASA history.
To verify the performance of new materials and assess motor performance at low temperatures, the solid rocket motor was cooled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Ground-testing at temperature extremes pushes this system to its limits, which advances our understanding of five-segment solid rocket motor performance.” said Alex Priskos.
The five-segment development motor includes several upgrades and technology improvements implemented by NASA and ATK engineers.
Motor upgrades from a shuttle booster include the addition of a fifth segment, a larger nozzle throat, and upgraded insulation and liner. The motor cases are flight-proven hardware used on shuttle launches for more than three decades. The cases used in this ground test have collectively launched 59 previous missions, the earliest being STS-3.
After more testing, the first-stage solid rocket motor will be certified to fly at temperature ranges between 40-90 degrees Fahrenheit. (ANI)
- New 'low cost' rocket to lift astronauts set to soar by 2013 - Feb 09, 2011
- NASAs Ares I rocket first stage igniter successfully tested - Mar 11, 2009
- ISRO tests rocket motor, delays satellite launch - Feb 26, 2011
- NASA sets space shuttle Endeavour's final launch for April 29 - Apr 20, 2011
- North Carolina astronaut to board NASA's next space shuttle flight - Apr 28, 2010
- NASA's space shuttle Endeavour ends final mission - Jun 01, 2011
- NASA sets launch date for space shuttle Discovery mission - Feb 24 - Feb 19, 2011
- NASA final shuttle launch scheduled for July 8 - May 21, 2011
- India tests rocket booster for heavier satellites (Lead) - Jan 24, 2010
- Indian space agency to now launch three satellites in April - Mar 09, 2011
- NASA's mirror to peer into the past and reveal how first galaxies formed - Jan 08, 2010
- Soon, plasma rocket that could take astronauts to Mars in just 39 days! - May 05, 2010
- Risat-1 catapults India into a select group of nations (Second Lead) - Apr 26, 2012
- New crew head for space from same launch pad used by Yuri Gagarin - Apr 05, 2011
- Shuttle Discovery launch targeted for no earlier than Feb 3 - Dec 04, 2010
Tags: aerospace systems, fahrenheit, ground test, insulation, missions, more than three decades, motor performance, nasa, nasa history, new materials, nozzle, rocket motor test, segment, shuttle launches, solid rocket, stage development, technology improvements, temperature extremes, temperature ranges, temperatures