spacetoday.net: J-2X engine passes test

J-2X engine passes test

Posted: Thu, Nov 10, 2011, 2:11 PM ET (1911 GMT)
J-2X engine test (NASA)

A rocket engine planned for the upper stage of NASA's new heavy-lift launch vehicle passed a major firing test on Wednesday. A J-2X engine fired for 500 seconds during the Wednesday afternoon test at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. NASA officials delayed the test a success, although evaluation of the data collected during the firing will continue for some time. The liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen engine, previously planned for use on the upper stage of the Ares 1 and 5 launch vehicles that were part of the now-cancelled Constellation program, is now slated for use on the upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The first flight of the SLS, which will also use shuttle-heritage main engines and solid rocket boosters, is scheduled for 2017.