Engineers at NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC) in Mississippi have successfully tested what’s expected to be the last of three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) that will carry the next Space Shuttle into orbit.<\/p>\n
The engine tested Thursday will be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for installation on Space Shuttle Discovery for its Return to Flight mission, designated STS-114. NASA plans to launch Discovery to the International Space Station no earlier than March 2005.
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\nThe test began at about 9:10 p.m. EDT August 19. It ran for 520 seconds, the length of time it takes a Space Shuttle to reach orbit. Initial indications are all test objectives were successfully met.<\/p>\n
“Piece by piece, milestone by milestone, we’re getting closer to flying the Shuttle again,” said Michael Kostelnik, deputy associate administrator for International Space Station and Space Shuttle Programs. “Today’s engine test is another important step to make sure we give the STS-114 crew a safe ride to and from the Space Station.”<\/p>\n
“Our NASA and contractor team has continued to work hard over the past year and a half to make sure the Shuttle’s main engine — this incredible piece of machinery — maintains its safety record,” said Miguel Rodriguez, director of the Propulsion Test Directorate at SSC. “All the effort will pay off when we see Discovery lift off next year.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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