NASA and
"We've learned that this rocket is operating very well, as designed,"
Crews of technicians and workers filled the engines, pipes and chambers with safe helium or nitrogen gas to check for leaks. In September, they will use the explosive liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to test the engines one final time before igniting them.
The final green run hot fire in October will see the rocket's core stage fire at full power for eight minutes while locked down on the test stand at
Completion of the propulsion leak test means the rocket's core-stage testing is more than halfway finished, Nappi said. The rocket was built in
NASA wanted to finish the tests by the end of summer, but halted the process for 10 weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since restarting, there have been no additional delays, despite some days of extreme heat and the arrival of Tropical Storm Cristobal nearby in June.
"They have met a lot of challenges due to COVID and the weather," said
"There's cleaning and masks always, and glasses and smocks if in close contact. We maintain six feet apart whenever possible," Nappi said.
Firing of the four Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 engines on the 212-foot-long, 188,000-pound core stage will produce about 1.6 million pounds of thrust, slightly less than a
Vice President
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