The J-2X rocket engine for the next-generation U.S. spacecraft rocket aced tests, according to Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies [UTX] unit.
That engine will power the Ares launch vehicles that will lift the Orion crew exploration vehicle into orbit to reach the International Space Station, and later to the moon.
As well, NASA and Pratt also recently signed off on the J-2X preliminary designs.
John Vilja, PWR’s program manager for the J-2X, said the engine design is “a perfect blend of history and innovation, calling upon our proven successes from the Apollo [moon missions] era and latest technology from the 21st century.”
The initial test involved the J-2X powerpack, a gas generator and turbopumps that perform the engine’s major pumping and combustion work.
These core components originally delivered propellants to the Apollo-era J-2 engine that powered the second and third stages of the Saturn V rockets. During the test at the Stennis Space Center, engineers ran propellants through the powerpack, making sure all valves, ducts, and lines worked properly under the simulated conditions of an actual launch. They verified the integrity of seals at temperatures as low as minus 425 degrees Fahrenheit, confirmed the accuracy of the chill procedure, and determined the amount of time to chill the pumps.