NASA Tests Rocket Engine Destined to Carry Humans to Mars

NASA engineers have completed a successful hot fire test of the RS-25 rocket engine E2063. The engine is destined to a part of NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The very powerful and slightly terrifying Engine E2063 is planned to be part of the force needed to get SLS into space for its Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2).

The test was conducted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on Oct. 19 in front of a small, dedicated crowd. The testing of the engine marks one step closer for the SLS rocket to launch and carry astronauts farther into space than ever before. SLS will have the capacity to launch NASA’s Orion spacecraft manned with up to four astronauts on missions to explore deep space. The SLS has more payload mass volume capability and energy to speed missions through space than any other NASA vehicle. The SLS is particularly designed to be able to evolve with developing technology. It is expected to be able to launch missions to destinations like Saturn and Jupiter. The SLS is developed using proven NASA hardware in conjunction with cutting-edge manufacturing technology that has been able to dramatically reduce the time and cost of the launch system's development.