NASA Engineers Test Engine for World’s Most Powerful Rocket

NASA engineers tested the RS-25 rocket engine, which will play a crucial role in eventual missions to Mars, on Tuesday . . .

The forthcoming Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will be powered by four R2-25 engines firing simultaneously. The RS-25s will provide 2 million pounds of thrust, according to NASA and will work in conjunction with a pair of solid rocket boosters, which provide an additional 6.8 million pounds of thrust.

LIVE NOW: We’re testing one of our RS-25 Engines that will power @NASA_SLS rocket to space. Watch the fire & smoke: https://t.co/mzKW5uV4hS pic.twitter.com/PPkXSmrpCI

— NASA (@NASA) July 25, 2017

The first unmanned flight of the heavy-lift SLS – a trip around the moon – was scheduled for 2018, but was recently pushed back to 2019, Space.com reports. A crewed mission was expected to take place in 2021, but it has also been pushed back. NASA said there will be a minimum of 33 months between the unmanned and crewed missions. (Read more from “NASA Engineers Test Engine for World’s Most Powerful Rocket” HERE)

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