STENNIS SPACE CENTER —
Continued transport services to the International Space Station provided by the United States are one step closer to being established after John C. Stennis Space Center conducted a engine test Monday afternoon.
With only one more Space Shuttle launch scheduled for this year before that program is retired, transport services to bring supplies and astronauts to the Space Station will have to be handled by the Russian Soyuz space craft until an alternative comes into play. NASA is testing the AJ26 engine and Orbital Science Corp’s Taurus II rocket as that alternative.
To keep transport services within the United States economical while freeing up NASA’s resources to develop technology capable of exploring space outside of low Earth orbit, development of a new transport craft to the space station will need to be handled by commercial entities, said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden. To do that, development of the Taurus II vehicle and it’s first stage engine is underway at Stennis. On Monday, the site conducted a test of the engine at their E-1 test stand.
Monday’s test collected data that still needs to be evaluated to determine just how successful the test was, by ensuring the engine was properly calibrated, delivered proper fuel ratios and to see if the gimble mechanism was operating properly said Orbital president J.R. Thompson. The test was conducted using a modified version of a Russian made engine, the NK-33, to create the AJ26, Thompson said. He said the NK-33 was manufactured about 50 years ago. Modifications to the Russian engine so it can meet the company’s needs included allowing the engine to gimble, or steer the vehicle, along with improvements to the fuel delivery system and the engine’s start cartridge, he said.
Thompson said he hopes to make the AJ26 an American made engine in the future and says the engine has potential to serve NASA’s heavy lift needs.
Testing of the engine was held at Stennis’ E-1 complex, which was built in the late 1980s, said Stennis Director Patrick Scheuermann. To test the AJ26 some modifications had to be made to the stand, such as allowing the engine to stand vertically, he said.
Bolden said he has flown in four previous space shuttle missions. After the AJ26 test, he commented on the difference between riding in a space craft and watching an engine test.
“It’s impressive to ride it, but it’s really impressive to watch it,” Bolden said.
A successful test will ensure that federal funding continues for the program and will keep America number one in space exploration, Bolden said.
Local News
Related Photos
-
ENGINE TEST — Orbital Science Corp’s AJ26 was tested at the E-1 test stand at Stennis Space Center. NASA hopes the engine and the vehicle it will power will provide an alternative to supply and astronaut transport to the International Space Station sometime after the Space Shuttle program is retired. Jeremy Pittari
New engine tested at Stennis
- Local News
-
-
PMHS GRADUATION
Picayune Memorial High School held its graduation ceremony Thursday night where the school’s valedictorian Jared Christopher Bates, left, and salutatorian Bryce Austin Warden gave their speeches.
-
POPLARVILLE GRADUATION
Poplarville High School held its graduation ceremony Thursday night where the school’s valedictorian Rebecca Starke, left, and salutatorian Meagan Whitworth gave their speeches to the graduating class, parents and friends.
-
Local man paralyzed by juvenile shooting
Medical personnel were teaching a local man how to swallow again on Saturday after his spinal cord was severed by a .22 caliber bullet, fired by one of three juveniles, on Thursday.
-
Potential bridge replacement fund shortage draws discussion
Despite a lengthy agenda for Pearl River County supervisors Wednesday the board handled many of the items with a straight up and down 5-0 vote.
-
Glade Woods dies
Funeral services for Earl Glade Woods , 75 of Picayune, are Monday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Picayune. Woods passed away on Friday.
-
MHP on patrol for holiday
Even though there has been a remarkable reduction in the number of fatalities in Mississippi over the past seven years, last year’s Memorial Day Weekend was particularly deadly.
-
POLICE MEMORIAL
City employees were out at the Picayune Police Department memorial Thursday morning doing some upgrades to it.
-
ACCIDENT
ACCIDENT — Emergency personnel responded to this accident Thursday morning on South Haugh Avenue.
-
Supervisors support sales tax proposal
The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors unanimously supports District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales proposal for a 1-percent county sales tax.
Hales had outlined his proposal at two earlier meetings of the board of supervisors and the other four members voiced their support for the idea at Wednesday’s meeting. -
Lawrence sentenced to 57 months for child porn
Picayune native Clifford Lawrence has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for possession of child pornography.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
