June 6, 2008

Paul Foerman, NASA News Chief
NASA Public Affairs Office
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
(228) 688-1880
Paul.Foerman-1@nasa.gov
RELEASE: HEC-08-064

J-2X POWER PACK REMOVED FROM A-1 TEST STAND

Having completed a successful initial series of J-2X power pack tests, 
engineers at Stennis Space Center now are turning their attention to 
preparing the A-1 Test Stand for the next testing round. 

On May 8, engineers successfully completed the first series of tests 
in the development of the J-2X engine that will power the upper 
stages of the Ares I and Ares V rockets, key components of NASA’s 
Constellation Program. Ares I will launch the Orion spacecraft that 
will take astronauts to the International Space Station and then to 
the moon by 2020. The Ares V will carry cargo and components into 
orbit for trips to the moon and later to Mars. 

The recently-completed series of tests on the A-1 Test Stand at 
Stennis was designed to gather data from the heritage J-2 engine 
components as they operated at the higher power levels that the new 
J-2X will require. The new J-2X engine is based on the heritage J-2 
engine that powered the upper stages of the Saturn I and Saturn V 
rockets four decades ago. The tests focused on the engine’s power 
pack, comprised of heritage J-2 liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen 
turbopumps and gas generator. On a complete engine, these components 
pump propellants into the engine’s main combustion chamber to produce 
thrust. During the test series, which began in December 2007, more 
than 1,300 seconds of operation were accumulated on the test 
hardware. 

Information from those tests will be used by NASA and Pratt & Whitney 
Rocketdyne engineers to refine the design of the new J-2X engine 
components. The new J-2X power pack will be returned to Stennis for 
another round of tests, expected to begin in early 2010. 

However, prior to that time, there is considerable work to be done to 
prepare the A-1 Test Stand for the next series. Those preparations 
began with removal of the J-2 power pack on May 29. 

Once removed, the power pack was transported to the Pratt & Whitney 
Rocketdyne facility at Stennis. There, it was prepared for shipment 
to California for full disassembly and inspection. Pratt & Whitney 
Rocketdyne engineers there will look at the turbopumps, gas 
generator, inlet ducts and gas generator valves. 

Even as that work is progressing, engineers at Stennis will be working 
to install as new thrust measurement system and new run line and 
discharge piping on the A-1 Test Stand, said Gary Benton, the J-2X 
project manager at Stennis. Engineers also will be completing 
upgrades on the liquid hydrogen flare stacks, vent piping and 
transfer line piping. 

General maintenance work will be performed as well, such as painting, 
replacing corroded water piping and upgrading electrical components 
of the control and data systems. 

“The purpose of these upgrades is to minimize the likelihood of having 
facility problems that impact an engine test schedule,” Benton 
explained. “Having a fully-functional facility maximizes the number 
of test opportunities available for the engine. Upgrades on the data 
and control systems also ensure we provide the best quality data for 
the engine.” 

The work on the test stand will continue throughout this year and much 
of 2009. Currently, plans are to re-activate the test stand systems 
and begin facility checkouts in the latter half of next year. Final 
activation preparations are set for late 2009 and early 2010. 

The current schedule calls for the new J-2X power pack to be installed 
by March 2010. Engineers then will begin a critical 17-test series to 
verify the new power pack, which consists of the new J-2X engine 
turbo-pumps, gas generator, and ignition system. 

Much of the current test stand work will play a vital role in the next 
test series, Benton explained. 

“We want to ensure that we have the test stand ready when the engines 
are ready to be tested,”. ” he noted. “The data we provide must be 
correct so that NASA can verify the engine will perform as required 
during flight.” 

For information about Stennis Space Center, visit: 
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/ 

Related Multimedia:
+http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/news/releases/2008/HEC-08-064-cptn.html

	
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