8. TEST STAND 15, INVERTED ENGINE FIRING TEST, CIRCA 1963. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. TEST STAND 1-5, INVERTED ENGINE FIRING TEST, CIRCA 1963. Original is a color print. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-5, Test Area 1-115, northwest end of Saturn Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Pathfinder

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-06-04

This shot offers a bird's eye-view of a Fastrac II engine duration test at Marshall's Test Stand 116. The Fastrac II engine was designed as a part of the low cost X-34 Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The purpose for these tests was to test the different types of metal alloys in the nozzle. Beside the engine were six additional nozzels which spray a continuous stream of water onto the test stand to reduce damage to the test stand and the engines. The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

40 CFR 63.9350 - What reports must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... reconstructed engine test cell/stand that is subject to permitting regulations pursuant to 40 CFR part 70 or 71... reconstructed engine test cell/stand during the reporting period. (3) A summary of the total duration of the...

40 CFR 63.9350 - What reports must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... reconstructed engine test cell/stand that is subject to permitting regulations pursuant to 40 CFR part 70 or 71... reconstructed engine test cell/stand during the reporting period. (3) A summary of the total duration of the...

40 CFR 63.9350 - What reports must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... reconstructed engine test cell/stand that is subject to permitting regulations pursuant to 40 CFR part 70 or 71... reconstructed engine test cell/stand during the reporting period. (3) A summary of the total duration of the...

40 CFR 63.9350 - What reports must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... reconstructed engine test cell/stand that is subject to permitting regulations pursuant to 40 CFR part 70 or 71... reconstructed engine test cell/stand during the reporting period. (3) A summary of the total duration of the...

40 CFR 63.9306 - What are my continuous parameter monitoring system (CPMS) installation, operation, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9306... at all times that an engine test cell/stand is operating, except during monitoring malfunctions... engine test cell/stand is operating. You must inspect the automatic shutdown system at least once every...

40 CFR 63.9306 - What are my continuous parameter monitoring system (CPMS) installation, operation, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9306... at all times that an engine test cell/stand is operating, except during monitoring malfunctions... engine test cell/stand is operating. You must inspect the automatic shutdown system at least once every...

A-3 Test Stand work

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-29

Rocket engine propellant tanks and cell dome top the A-3 Test Stand under construction at Stennis Space Center. The stand will test next-generation rocket engines that could carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit into deep space once more.

10. ENGINE TEST CELL BUILDING INTERIOR. CELL 4, MOUNTING STAND. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. ENGINE TEST CELL BUILDING INTERIOR. CELL 4, MOUNTING STAND. LOOKING NORTHWEST. - Fairchild Air Force Base, Engine Test Cell Building, Near intersection of Arnold Street & George Avenue, Spokane, Spokane County, WA

1. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing elevations and sections ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing elevations and sections of Test Stand 'E' (Building 4259/E-60). California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering 'Solid Propellant Test Stand E-60 - Elevations & Sections,' sheet E60/10, no date. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand E, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

A-1 Test Stand modifications

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-14

Team members check the progress of a liquid nitrogen cold shock test on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on Sept. 15. The cold shock test is used to confirm the test stand's support system can withstand test conditions, when super-cold rocket engine propellant is piped. The A-1 Test Stand is preparing to conduct tests on the powerpack component of the J-2X rocket engine, beginning in early 2012.

AJ26 engine test

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-25

NASA engineers tested an Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine on the E-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on June 25, 2012, against the backdrop of the B-1/B-2 Test Stand. The engine will be used by Orbital Sciences Corporation to power commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station.

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, view of Test Stand ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, view of Test Stand "D" from Test Stand "A" while a rocket engine test is in progress. Cloud of steam is from partly from water created by propellant reaction and from water sprayed by flame bucket into engine exhaust for cooling purposes. A portion of Test Stand "C" is visible at the far right. (JPL negative no. 384-2082-B, 23 October 1959) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

5. FLAME DEFLECTOR, COMPLETE X15 VEHICLE TEST STAND. Looking east. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. FLAME DEFLECTOR, COMPLETE X-15 VEHICLE TEST STAND. Looking east. - Edwards Air Force Base, X-15 Engine Test Complex, Rocket Engine & Complete X-15 Vehicle Test Stands, Rogers Dry Lake, east of runway between North Base & South Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Modal Analysis with the Mobile Modal Testing Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilder, Andrew J.

2013-01-01

Recently, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) has tested rocket engines with high pulse frequencies. This has resulted in the use of some of WSTF's existing thrust stands, which were designed for static loading, in tests with large dynamic forces. In order to ensure that the thrust stands can withstand the dynamic loading of high pulse frequency engines while still accurately reporting the test data, their vibrational modes must be characterized. If it is found that they have vibrational modes with frequencies near the pulsing frequency of the test, then they must be modified to withstand the dynamic forces from the pulsing rocket engines. To make this determination the Mobile Modal Testing Unit (MMTU), a system capable of determining the resonant frequencies and mode shapes of a structure, was used on the test stands at WSTF. Once the resonant frequency has been determined for a test stand, it can be compared to the pulse frequency of a test engine to determine whether or not that stand can avoid resonance and reliably test that engine. After analysis of test stand 406 at White Sands Test Facility, it was determined that natural frequencies for the structure are located around 75, 125, and 240 Hz, and thus should be avoided during testing.

2. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing mechanical systems in ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing mechanical systems in plan and sections of Test Stand 'E,' including tunnel entrance. California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering 'Bldg. E-60 Mechanical, Solid Propellant Test Stand,' sheet E60/13-4, June 20, 1961. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand E, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-09-09

This photograph depicts the F-1 engine firing in the Marshall Space Flight Center’s F-1 Engine Static Test Stand. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. It is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability is provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. The foundation of the stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade.

9. Credit JPL. Photographic copy of drawing, engineering drawing showing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

9. Credit JPL. Photographic copy of drawing, engineering drawing showing structure of Test Stand 'A' (Building 4202/E-3) and its relationship to the Monitor Building or blockhouse (Building 4203/E-4) when a reinforced concrete machinery room was added to the west side of Test Stand 'A' in 1955. California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering 'Electrical Layout - Muroc, Test Stand & Refrigeration Equipment Room,' drawing no. E3/7-0, April 6, 1955. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand A, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

B-1 and B-3 Test Stands at NASA’s Plum Brook Station

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-09-21

Operation of the High Energy Rocket Engine Research Facility (B-1), left, and Nuclear Rocket Dynamics and Control Facility (B-3) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio. The test stands were constructed in the early 1960s to test full-scale liquid hydrogen fuel systems in simulated altitude conditions. Over the next decade each stand was used for two major series of liquid hydrogen rocket tests: the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) and the Centaur second-stage rocket program. The different components of these rocket engines could be studied under flight conditions and adjusted without having to fire the engine. Once the preliminary studies were complete, the entire engine could be fired in larger facilities. The test stands were vertical towers with cryogenic fuel and steam ejector systems. B-1 was 135 feet tall, and B-3 was 210 feet tall. Each test stand had several levels, a test section, and ground floor shop areas. The test stands relied on an array of support buildings to conduct their tests, including a control building, steam exhaust system, and fuel storage and pumping facilities. A large steam-powered altitude exhaust system reduced the pressure at the exhaust nozzle exit of each test stand. This allowed B-1 and B-3 to test turbopump performance in conditions that matched the altitudes of space.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-09-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's F-1 Engine Test Stand is shown in this picture. Constructed in 1963, the test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, and was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability is provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. The foundation of the stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade.

Historic tests

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-16

Two large-engine tests were conducted simultaneously for the first time at Stennis Space Center on Aug. 16. A plume on the left indicates a test on the facility's E-1 Test Stand. On the right, a finger of fire indicates a test under way on the A-1 Test Stand. In another first, both tests were conducted by female engineers. The image was taken from atop the facility's A-2 Test Stand, offering a panoramic view that includes the new A-3 Test Stand under construction to the left.

NEARING THE END OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE LOX TEST STAND AT MSFC.

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-01-08

AS THE END OF CONSTRUCTION ON TEST STAND 4697, THE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK TEST STAND AT MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, PROJECT ENGINEERS PHIL HENDRIX, FROM MSFC, AND CURTNEY WALTERS FROM THE U.S. CORP OF ENGINEERS, STUDY PLANS AND PROGRESS.

Aerial shows Stennis test stands

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-16

An aerial photo shows the B-1/B-2 Test Stand (foreground), A-2 Test Stand (middle) and A-1 Test Stand (back). The historic stands have been used to test engines used on every manned Apollo and space shuttle mission.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-06-01

This photograph depicts a test firing of an F-1 engine at the F-1 engine test stand in the west test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center. This engine produced 1,500,000 pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and RP-1, which is a derivative of kerosene. The F-1 engine test stand was constructed in 1963 to assist in the development of the F-1 engine.

J-2 Engine ready to go into test stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1965-01-01

Two technicians watch carefully as cables prepare to lift a J-2 engine into a test stand. The J-2 powered the second stage and the third stage of the Saturn V moon rocket. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Preparing to Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-26

Stennis Space Center employees install a 96-inch valve during a recent upgrade of the high-pressure industrial water system that serves the site’s large rocket engine test stands. The upgraded system has a capacity to flow 335,000 gallons of water a minute, which is a critical element for testing. At Stennis, engines are anchored in place on large test stands and fired just as they are during an actual space flight. The fire and exhaust from the test is redirected out of the stand by a large flame trench. A water deluge system directs thousands of gallons of water needed to cool the exhaust. Water also must be available for fire suppression in the event of a mishap. The new system supports RS-25 engine testing on the A-1 Test Stand, as well as testing of the core stage of NASA’s new Space Launch System on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis.

40 CFR 63.9345 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... apply to you by the dates specified. (b) If you own or operate a new or reconstructed test cell/stand... engine test cell/stand has no additional requirements and explain the basis of the exclusion (for example...

40 CFR 63.9345 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... apply to you by the dates specified. (b) If you own or operate a new or reconstructed test cell/stand... engine test cell/stand has no additional requirements and explain the basis of the exclusion (for example...

40 CFR 63.9345 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... apply to you by the dates specified. (b) If you own or operate a new or reconstructed test cell/stand... engine test cell/stand has no additional requirements and explain the basis of the exclusion (for example...

40 CFR 63.9345 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... apply to you by the dates specified. (b) If you own or operate a new or reconstructed test cell/stand... engine test cell/stand has no additional requirements and explain the basis of the exclusion (for example...

A-3 Test Stand construction moves forward

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-13

Work on the A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center took a step forward in July with delivery of the first-stage steam ejector July 13. Stennis employees are shown preparing the ejector to be lifted into place on the test stand. When activated in 2012, the A-3 Test Stand will allow operators to test rocket engines at simulated altitudes of 100,000 feet, a critical feature for next-generation engines that will take humans beyond low-Earth orbit once more.

TARA MARSHALL AND MIKE NICHOLS AT TEST STAND 4693

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-12-14

TARA MARSHALL, LEFT, A MARSHALL ENGINEER, TALKS ABOUT THE INSTALLATION OF A PRESSURIZATION CONTROL PANEL AT TEST STAND 4693 WITH MIKE NICHOLS, LEAD TEST ENGINEER FOR THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK STRUCTURAL TEST ARTICLE.

29. Historic view of twentythousandpound rocket test stand with engine ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

29. Historic view of twenty-thousand-pound rocket test stand with engine installation in test cell of Building 202, September 1957. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA GRC photo number C-45870. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

LOX tank installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-08

Construction of the A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center continued June 8 with installation of a 35,000-gallon liquid oxygen tank atop the steel structure. The stand is being built to test next-generation rocket engines that will carry humans into deep space once more. The LOX tank and a liquid hydrogen tank to be installed atop the stand later will provide propellants for testing the engines. The A-3 Test Stand is scheduled for completion and activation in 2013.

20. Building 202, detail of stand A, rocket test stand ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. Building 202, detail of stand A, rocket test stand in test cell. View looking southeast. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

31. HISTORIC VIEW OF TEST STAND NO. 1 AT PEENEMUENDE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

31. HISTORIC VIEW OF TEST STAND NO. 1 AT PEENEMUENDE A-4 ENGINE AND ROCKET PROPULSION TEST STAND. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Rocket (Missile) Test Stand, Dodd Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-10-26

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the S-IC test stand, related facilities were built during this time. Built to the north of the massive S-IC test stand, was the F-1 Engine test stand. The F-1 test stand, a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo, taken October 26, 1962, depicts the excavation process of the single engine F-1 stand.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-11-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the S-IC test stand, related facilities were built during this time. Built to the north of the massive S-IC test stand, was the F-1 Engine test stand. The F-1 test stand, a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo, taken November 15, 1962, depicts the excavation process of the single engine F-1 stand site.

Planning for Plume Diagnostics for Ground Testing of J-2X Engines at the SSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SaintCyr, William W.; Tejwani, Gopal D.; McVay, Gregory P.; Langford, Lester A.; SaintCyr, William W.

2010-01-01

John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) is the premier test facility for liquid rocket engine development and certification for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Therefore, it is no surprise that the SSC will play the most prominent role in the engine development testing and certification for the J-2X engine. The Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne J-2X engine has been selected by the Constellation Program to power the Ares I Upper Stage Element and the Ares V Earth Departure Stage in NASA s strategy of risk mitigation for hardware development by building on the Apollo program and other lessons learned to deliver a human-rated engine that is on an aggressive development schedule, with first demonstration flight in 2010 and human test flights in 2012. Accordingly, J-2X engine design, development, test, and evaluation is to build upon heritage hardware and apply valuable experience gained from past development and testing efforts. In order to leverage SSC s successful and innovative expertise in the plume diagnostics for the space shuttle main engine (SSME) health monitoring,1-10 this paper will present a blueprint for plume diagnostics for various proposed ground testing activities for J-2X at SSC. Complete description of the SSC s test facilities, supporting infrastructure, and test facilities is available in Ref. 11. The A-1 Test Stand is currently being prepared for testing the J-2X engine at sea level conditions. The A-2 Test Stand is currently being used for testing the SSME and may also be used for testing the J-2X engine at sea level conditions in the future. Very recently, ground-breaking ceremony for the new A-3 rocket engine test stand took place at SSC on August 23, 2007. A-3 is the first large - scale test stand to be built at the SSC since the A and B stands were constructed in the 1960s. The A-3 Test Stand will be used for testing J-2X engines under vacuum conditions simulating high altitude operation at approximately 30,480 m (100,000 ft). To achieve the simulated altitude environment, chemical steam generators using isopropyl alcohol, LOX, and RELEASED - Printed documents may be obsolete; validate prior to use. water would run for the duration of the test and would generate approximately 2096 Kg/s of steam to reduce pressure in the test cell and downstream of the engine. The testing at the A-3 Test Stand is projected to begin in late 2010, meanwhile the J-2X component testing on A-1 is scheduled to begin later this year.

1. Credit PSR. This view displays the north and west ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Credit PSR. This view displays the north and west facades of Test Stand "G" (Vibration Facility) as seen when looking east southeast (110°). Test Stand "G" no longer houses the vibrator; it now houses an autoclave due to the changing nature of the testing work. The Vibration Facility was Test Stand "G"'s historic function. Test Stand "E" is at the far right. The Vibration Facility subjected motor and engine assemblies to various vibration patterns in order to simulate flight conditions and evaluate the durability of engine and motor designs. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand G, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

30. Historic view of twentythousandpound rocket test stand with engine ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

30. Historic view of twenty-thousand-pound rocket test stand with engine installation in test cell of Building 202, looking down from elevated location, September 1957. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA GRC photo number C-45872. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Test Stand at the Rocket Engine Test Facility

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-02-21

The thrust stand in the Rocket Engine Test Facility at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The Rocket Engine Test Facility was constructed in the mid-1950s to expand upon the smaller test cells built a decade before at the Rocket Laboratory. The $2.5-million Rocket Engine Test Facility could test larger hydrogen-fluorine and hydrogen-oxygen rocket thrust chambers with thrust levels up to 20,000 pounds. Test Stand A, seen in this photograph, was designed to fire vertically mounted rocket engines downward. The exhaust passed through an exhaust gas scrubber and muffler before being vented into the atmosphere. Lewis researchers in the early 1970s used the Rocket Engine Test Facility to perform basic research that could be utilized by designers of the Space Shuttle Main Engines. A new electronic ignition system and timer were installed at the facility for these tests. Lewis researchers demonstrated the benefits of ceramic thermal coatings for the engine’s thrust chamber and determined the optimal composite material for the coatings. They compared the thermal-coated thrust chamber to traditional unlined high-temperature thrust chambers. There were more than 17,000 different configurations tested on this stand between 1973 and 1976. The Rocket Engine Test Facility was later designated a National Historic Landmark for its role in the development of liquid hydrogen as a propellant.

32. Historic view of Building 202 test stand A with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

32. Historic view of Building 202 test stand A with rocket engine, close-up detail of engine, November 19, 1957. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-46492. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

A-3 Test Stand work

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-29

Work continues on the A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center. The new stand will allow operators to test next-generation rocket engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet. The test stand is scheduled for completion and activation in 2013.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-01-01

Engineers and technicians at the Marshall Space Flight Center placed a Saturn V ground test booster (S-IC-D) into the dynamic test stand. The stand was constructed to test the integrity of the vehicle. Forces were applied to the tail of the vehicle to simulate the engines thrusting, and various other flight factors were fed to the vehicle to test reactions. The Saturn V launch vehicle, with the Apollo spacecraft, was subjected to more than 450 hours of shaking. The photograph shows the 300,000 pound S-IC stage being lifted from its transporter into place inside the 360-foot tall test stand. This dynamic test booster has one dummy F-1 engine and weight simulators are used at the other four engine positions.

A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-08

A tethered Stennis Space Center employee climbs an A-3 Test Stand ladder June 8, 2012, against the backdrop of the A-2 and B-1/B-2 stands. The new A-3 Test Stand will enable simulated high-altitude testing of next-generation rocket engines.

A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-08

A tethered Stennis Space Center employee climbs an A-3 Test Stand ladded June 8, 2012, against the backdrop of the A-2 and B-1/B-2 stands. The new A-3 Test Stand will enable simulated high-altitude testing of next-generation rocket engines.

3. INTERIOR VIEW, SHOWING JET ENGINE TEST STAND. WrightPatterson ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. INTERIOR VIEW, SHOWING JET ENGINE TEST STAND. - Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Area B, Building 71A, Propulsion Research Laboratory, Seventh Street between D & G Streets, Dayton, Montgomery County, OH

40 CFR 63.9280 - What is the purpose of subpart PPPPP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands What This... emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for engine test cells/stands located at major...

40 CFR 63.9280 - What is the purpose of subpart PPPPP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands What This... emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for engine test cells/stands located at major...

40 CFR 63.9280 - What is the purpose of subpart PPPPP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands What This... emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for engine test cells/stands located at major...

40 CFR 63.9280 - What is the purpose of subpart PPPPP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands What This... emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for engine test cells/stands located at major...

40 CFR 63.9280 - What is the purpose of subpart PPPPP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands What This... emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for engine test cells/stands located at major...

40 CFR 91.305 - Dynamometer specifications and calibration accuracy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... specifications. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine speed and torque... accuracy. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine torque and speed...

40 CFR 91.305 - Dynamometer specifications and calibration accuracy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... specifications. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine speed and torque... accuracy. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine torque and speed...

40 CFR 91.305 - Dynamometer specifications and calibration accuracy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... specifications. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine speed and torque... accuracy. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine torque and speed...

40 CFR 91.305 - Dynamometer specifications and calibration accuracy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... specifications. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine speed and torque... accuracy. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine torque and speed...

40 CFR 91.305 - Dynamometer specifications and calibration accuracy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... specifications. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine speed and torque... accuracy. (1) The dynamometer test stand and other instruments for measurement of engine torque and speed...

1. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing structure of Test ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing structure of Test Stand 'B' (4215/E-16), also known as the 'Short Snorter.' California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering 'Structural Addition - Bldg. E-12, Edwards Test Station,' drawing no. E12/1-1, 8 August 1957. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand B, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

40 CFR 63.9290 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... the collection of all equipment and activities associated with engine test cells/stands used for...

40 CFR 63.9290 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... the collection of all equipment and activities associated with engine test cells/stands used for...

40 CFR 63.9290 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... the collection of all equipment and activities associated with engine test cells/stands used for...

40 CFR 63.9290 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... the collection of all equipment and activities associated with engine test cells/stands used for...

40 CFR 63.9290 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands... the collection of all equipment and activities associated with engine test cells/stands used for...

A-3 Test Stand work continues

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-22

Stennis Space Center employees continue work on the A-3 Test Stand test cell. The stand is being built to test next-generation rocket engines that could carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit into deep space.

6. AN EARLY VIEW OF THE COMPLETE X15 VEHICLE TEST ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. AN EARLY VIEW OF THE COMPLETE X-15 VEHICLE TEST STAND. Looking to the northeast. - Edwards Air Force Base, X-15 Engine Test Complex, Rocket Engine & Complete X-15 Vehicle Test Stands, Rogers Dry Lake, east of runway between North Base & South Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

40 CFR 63.9305 - What are my general requirements for complying with this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9305 What are my general requirements for complying... maintain your engine test cell/stand, air pollution control equipment, and monitoring equipment in a manner... to engine test cells/stands. [68 FR 28785, May 27, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 20470, Apr. 20, 2006] ...

40 CFR 63.9305 - What are my general requirements for complying with this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9305 What are my general requirements for complying... maintain your engine test cell/stand, air pollution control equipment, and monitoring equipment in a manner... to engine test cells/stands. [68 FR 28785, May 27, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 20470, Apr. 20, 2006] ...

76 FR 58272 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-20

... Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NESHAP for Engine Test Cells/ Stands... Cells/Stands (Renewal) ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 2066.05, OMB Control Number 2060-0483. ICR Status... Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Engine Test Cells/Stands were proposed on May 14, 2002 (67 FR 34547...

40 CFR 63.9305 - What are my general requirements for complying with this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9305 What are my general requirements for complying... maintain your engine test cell/stand, air pollution control equipment, and monitoring equipment in a manner... to engine test cells/stands. [68 FR 28785, May 27, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 20470, Apr. 20, 2006] ...

40 CFR 63.9305 - What are my general requirements for complying with this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9305 What are my general requirements for complying... maintain your engine test cell/stand, air pollution control equipment, and monitoring equipment in a manner... to engine test cells/stands. [68 FR 28785, May 27, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 20470, Apr. 20, 2006] ...

40 CFR 63.9305 - What are my general requirements for complying with this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Cells/Stands General Compliane Requirements § 63.9305 What are my general requirements for complying... maintain your engine test cell/stand, air pollution control equipment, and monitoring equipment in a manner... to engine test cells/stands. [68 FR 28785, May 27, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 20470, Apr. 20, 2006] ...

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-07-03

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand as of July 3, 1963. All four of its tower legs are well underway.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-09-05

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand as of September 5, 1963.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-09-30

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand as of September 30, 1963.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-06-24

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand as of June 24, 1963. Two if its four tower legs are underway.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-10-22

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Northeast of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. The F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, and was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo depicts the fuel tanks that housed kerosene and just beyond those is the F-1 test stand.

Installation of TVC Actuators in a Two Axis Inertial Load Simulator Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dziubanek, Adam

2013-01-01

This paper is about the installation of Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) actuators in the new Two Axis Inertial Load Simulator (ILS) at MSFC. The new test stand will support the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS). Because of the unique geometry of the new test stand standard actuator installation procedures will not work. I have been asked to develop a design on how to install the actuators into the new test stand. After speaking with the engineers and technicians I have created a possible design solution. Using Pro Engineer design software and running my own stress calculations I have proven my design is feasible. I have learned how to calculate the stresses my design will see from this task. From the calculations I have learned I have over built the apparatus. I have also expanded my knowledge of Pro Engineer and was able to create a model of my idea.

Engineers conduct key water test for A-3 stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Water cascades from the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center as engineers challenge the limits of the high-pressure water system as part of the preparation process for the A-3 Test Stand under construction. Jeff Henderson, test director for Stennis' A Complex, led a series of tests Nov. 16-20, flowing water simultaneously on the A-1 and A-2 stands, followed by the A-1 and B-1 stands, to determine if the high-pressure industrial water facility pumps and the existing pipe system can support the needs of the A-3 stand. The stand is being built to test rocket engines that will carry astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit and will need about 300,000 gallons of water per minute when operating, but the Stennis system never had been tested to that level. The recent tests were successful in showing the water facility pumps can operate at that capacity - reaching 318,000 gallons per minute in one instance. However, officials continue to analyze data to determine if the system can provide the necessary pressure at that capacity and if the delivery system piping is adequate. 'We just think if there's a problem, it's better to identify and address it now rather than when A-3 is finished and it has to be dealt with,' Henderson said.

Computational Pollutant Environment Assessment from Propulsion-System Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Ten-See; McConnaughey, Paul; Chen, Yen-Sen; Warsi, Saif

1996-01-01

An asymptotic plume growth method based on a time-accurate three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics formulation has been developed to assess the exhaust-plume pollutant environment from a simulated RD-170 engine hot-fire test on the F1 Test Stand at Marshall Space Flight Center. Researchers have long known that rocket-engine hot firing has the potential for forming thermal nitric oxides, as well as producing carbon monoxide when hydrocarbon fuels are used. Because of the complex physics involved, most attempts to predict the pollutant emissions from ground-based engine testing have used simplified methods, which may grossly underpredict and/or overpredict the pollutant formations in a test environment. The objective of this work has been to develop a computational fluid dynamics-based methodology that replicates the underlying test-stand flow physics to accurately and efficiently assess pollutant emissions from ground-based rocket-engine testing. A nominal RD-170 engine hot-fire test was computed, and pertinent test-stand flow physics was captured. The predicted total emission rates compared reasonably well with those of the existing hydrocarbon engine hot-firing test data.

Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP)

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-08-07

This double exposure depicts Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Test Stand 116 hosting a 60K Bantam Fastrac thrust chamber assembly test. The lower right exposure shows the engine firing in the test stand while the center exposure reveals workers monitoring the test in the interior block house of the test facility. The thrust chamber assembly is only part of the Fastrac engine project to build a low-cost engine for the X-34, an alternate light-weight unmarned launch vehicle. Both the nozzle and the engine for Fastrac are being manufactured at MSFC.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-11-20

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo shows the progress of the F-1 Test Stand as of November 20, 1963.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-04-04

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo, taken April 4, 1963 depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand foundation walls.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-04-17

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo, taken April 17, 1963 depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand foundation walls.

10. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing the plumbing layout ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing the plumbing layout of Test Stand 'C' Cv Cell, vacuum line, and scrubber-condenser as erected in 1977-78. JPL drawing by VTN Consolidated, Inc. Engineers, Architects, Planners, 2301 Campus Drive, Irvine, California 92664: 'JPL-ETS E-18 (C-Stand Modifications) Flow Diagram,' sheet M-2 (JPL sheet number E18/41-0), September 1, 1977. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand C, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

9. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing the mechanical layout ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

9. Photographic copy of engineering drawing showing the mechanical layout of Test Stand 'C' Cv Cell, vacuum line, and scrubber-condenser as erected in 1977-78. JPL drawing by VTN Consolidated, Inc. Engineers, Architects, Planners, 2301 Campus Drive, Irvine, California 92664: 'JPL-ETS E-18 (C-Stand Modifications) Control Elevations & Schematics,' sheet M-5 (JPL sheet number E18/44-0), 1 September 1977. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand C, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Stennis panorama

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-25

A photograph of a J-2X rocket engine on the A-2 Test Stand from atop the B Test Stand at Stennis Space Center offers a panoramic view of the A Test Complex. The J-2X engine is being developed for NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne to carry humans deeper into space than ever before.

31. Historic view of Building 202 test stand A with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

31. Historic view of Building 202 test stand A with rocket engine, November 19, 1957. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA GRC photo number C-46491. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-10-01

This is a ground level view of Test Stand 500 at the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center. Originally constructed in 1966, Test Stand 500 is a multipurpose, dual-position test facility. The stand was utilized to test liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen turbopumps and combustion devices for the J-2 engine. One test position has a high superstructure with lines and tankage for testing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen turbopumps while the other position is adaptable to pressure-fed test programs such as turbo machinery bearings or seals. The facility was modified in 1980 to support Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) bearing testing.

[Research and workshop on alternative fuels for aviation. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-09-01

The Renewable Aviation Fuels Development Center (RAFDC) at Baylor University was granted U. S. Department of Energy (US DOE) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds for research and development to improve the efficiency in ethanol powered aircraft, measure performance and compare emissions of ethanol, Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) and 100 LL aviation gasoline. The premise of the initial proposal was to use a test stand owned by Engine Components Inc. (ECI) based in San Antonio, Texas. After the grant was awarded, ECI decided to close down its test stand facility. Since there were no other test stands available atmore » that time, RAFDC was forced to find additional support to build its own test stand. Baylor University provided initial funds for the test stand building. Other obstacles had to be overcome in order to initiate the program. The price of the emission testing equipment had increased substantially beyond the initial quote. Rosemount Analytical Inc. gave RAFDC an estimate of $120,000.00 for a basic emission testing package. RAFDC had to find additional funding to purchase this equipment. The electronic ignition unit also presented a series of time consuming problems. Since at that time there were no off-the-shelf units of this type available, one had to be specially ordered and developed. FAA funds were used to purchase a Super Flow dynamometer. Due to the many unforeseen obstacles, much more time and effort than originally anticipated had to be dedicated to the project, with much of the work done on a volunteer basis. Many people contributed their time to the program. One person, mainly responsible for the initial design of the test stand, was a retired engineer from Allison with extensive aircraft engine test stand experience. Also, many Baylor students volunteered to assemble the. test stand and continue to be involved in the current test program. Although the program presented many challenges, which resulted in delays, the RAFDC's test stand is an asset which provides an ongoing research capability dedicated to the testing of alternative fuels for aircraft engines. The test stand is now entirely functional with the exception of the electronic ignition unit which still needs adjustments.« less

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-01-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. The F-1 Engine test stand was built north of the massive S-IC test stand. The F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, and was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability is provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. Looking North, this aerial taken January 15, 1963, gives a closer view of the deep hole for the F-1 test stand site in the forefront. The S-IC test stand with towers prominent is to the right of center, and the Block House is seen left of center.

J-2X engine

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-20

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (r) takes an up-close look at the first development J-2X rocket engine on the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center during an April 20, 2012, visit. Pictured with Bolden is A-2 Test Stand Director Skip Roberts. The J-2X engine is being developed for NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

J-2X engine

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-20

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (r) takes an up-close look at the first development J-2X rocket engine on the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center during an April 20, 2012, visit. Pictured with Bolden is A-2 Test Stand Director Skip Roberts. The J-2X engine i s being developed for NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Busy test week

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

A test of NASA's liquid oxygen, liquid methane Project Morpheus engine is conducted Nov. 8 on the E-3 Test Stand at John C. Stennis Space Center. The test was one of 27 conducted in Stennis' E Test Complex the week of Nov. 5. Twenty-seven tests were conducted in a three-day period during the week, on three different rocket engines/components and on three E Complex test stands.

J-2X engine assembly

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-03

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne employees Carlos Alfaro (l) and Oliver Swanier work on the main combustion element of the J-2X rocket engine at their John C. Stennis Space Center facility. Assembly of the J-2X rocket engine to be tested at the site is under way, with completion and delivery to the A-2 Test Stand set for June. The J-2X is being developed as a next-generation engine that can carry humans into deep space. Stennis Space Center is preparing a trio of stands to test the new engine.

35. Historic photo of Building 202 test stand with damage ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

35. Historic photo of Building 202 test stand with damage to twenty-thousand-pound-thrust rocket engine related to failure during testing, September 16, 1958. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-48704. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

First Stage Acceptance Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1960-01-01

This photograph shows the intense smoke and fire created by the five F-1 engines from a test firing of the Saturn V first stage (S-1C) in the S-1C test stand at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-01-14

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the S-IC test stand, related facilities were constructed during this time frame. Built just north of the massive S-IC test stand was the F-1 Engine test stand. The F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, and was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo, taken January 14, 1963 depicts the F-1 test stand site with hoses pumping excess water from the site.

4. This photographic copy of an engineering drawing shows the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. This photographic copy of an engineering drawing shows the plan and details for Test Stand "G" and the placement of the vibrator. California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering: "Vibration Test Facility-Bldg E-72, Floor & Roof Plans, Sections, Details & Door Schedule," drawing no. E72/2-5, 21 May 1964. California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering: engineering drawings of structures at JPL Edwards Facility. Drawings on file at JPL Plant Engineering, Pasadena, California. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand G, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-01-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. The F-1 Engine test stand was built north of the massive S-IC test stand. The F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, and was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability is provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This aerial photograph, taken January 15, 1963, gives a close overall view of the newly developed test complex. Depicted in the forefront center is the S-IC test stand with towers prominent, the Block House is seen in the center just above the S-IC test stand, and the large hole to the left, located midway between the two is the F-1 test stand site.

ROBERT BOBO AND MIKE NICHOLS AT TEST STAND 4693

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-12-14

ROBERT BOBO, LEFT, AND MIKE NICHOLS TALK BENEATH THE 221-FOOT-TALL TEST STAND 4693, THE LARGEST OF TWO NEW SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM TEST STANDS AT MSFC. BOBO MANAGES SLS STRUCTURAL STRENGTH TESTING, AND NICHOLS IS LEAD TEST ENGINEER FOR THE SLS LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-08-13

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. North of the massive S-IC test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built. Designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine, the F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base. Capability was provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This photo depicts the construction of the F-1 test stand as of August 13, 1963. All four of its tower legs are well underway into the skyline.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-01-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. The F-1 Engine test stand was built north of the massive S-IC test stand. The F-1 test stand is a vertical engine firing test stand, 239 feet in elevation and 4,600 square feet in area at the base, and was designed to assist in the development of the F-1 Engine. Capability is provided for static firing of 1.5 million pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene. Like the S-IC stand, the foundation of the F-1 stand is keyed into the bedrock approximately 40 feet below grade. This aerial photograph, taken January 15, 1963 gives an overall view of the construction progress of the newly developed test complex. The large white building located in the center is the Block House. Just below and to the right of it is the S-IC test stand. The large hole to the left of the S-IC stand is the F-1 test stand site.

A-3 Test Stand work

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-29

Stennis Space Center employees have installed liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks atop the A-3 Test Stand, raising the structure to its full 300-foot height. The stand is being built to test next-generation rocket engines that could carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit into deep space. The A-3 Test Stand is scheduled for completion and activation in 2013.

Celebrating 50 Years of Testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-19

What better way to mark 50 years of rocket engine testing than with a rocket engine test? Stennis Space Center employees enjoyed a chance to view an RS-68 engine test at the B-1 Test Stand on April 19, almost 50 years to the day that the first test was conducted at the south Mississippi site in 1966. The test viewing was part of a weeklong celebration of the 50th year of rocket engine testing at Stennis. The first test at the site occurred April 23, 1966, with a 15-second firing of a Saturn V second stage prototype (S-II-C) on the A-2 Test Stand. The center subsequently tested Apollo rocket stages that carried humans to the moon and every main engine used to power 135 space shuttle missions. It currently tests engines for NASA’s new Space Launch System vehicle.

21. Building 202, underside of test stand A, detail of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

21. Building 202, underside of test stand A, detail of junction of scrubber structure and test stand with water pipes and valves visible. View looking southeast. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

8. VIEW LOOKING WEST AT THE POWER PLANT TEST STAND ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. VIEW LOOKING WEST AT THE POWER PLANT TEST STAND DURING AN ENGINE FIRING. DATE UNKNOWN, FRED ORDWAY COLLECTION, U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER, HUNTSVILLE, AL. - Marshall Space Flight Center, East Test Area, Power Plant Test Stand, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Busy test week

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-06

NASA engineers test a chemical steam generator (CSG) unit on the E-2 Test Stand at John C. Stennis Space Center on Nov. 6. The test was one of 27 conducted in Stennis' E Test Complex the week of Nov. 5. Twenty-seven CSG units will be used on the new A-3 Test Stand at Stennis to produce a vacuum that allows testing of engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet.

Photographic copy of site plan for proposed Test Stand "D" ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of site plan for proposed Test Stand "D" in 1958. The contemporary site plans of test stands "A," "B," and "C" are also visible, along with the interconnecting tunnel system. California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Plant Engineering "Site Plan for Proposed Test Stand "D" - Edwards Test Station," drawing no. ESP/22-0, 14 November 1958 - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Control Room at the NACA’s Rocket Engine Test Facility

NASA Image and Video Library

1957-05-21

Test engineers monitor an engine firing from the control room of the Rocket Engine Test Facility at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The Rocket Engine Test Facility, built in the early 1950s, had a rocket stand designed to evaluate high-energy propellants and rocket engine designs. The facility was used to study numerous different types of rocket engines including the Pratt and Whitney RL-10 engine for the Centaur rocket and Rocketdyne’s F-1 and J-2 engines for the Saturn rockets. The Rocket Engine Test Facility was built in a ravine at the far end of the laboratory because of its use of the dangerous propellants such as liquid hydrogen and liquid fluorine. The control room was located in a building 1,600 feet north of the test stand to protect the engineers running the tests. The main control and instrument consoles were centrally located in the control room and surrounded by boards controlling and monitoring the major valves, pumps, motors, and actuators. A camera system at the test stand allowed the operators to view the tests, but the researchers were reliant on data recording equipment, sensors, and other devices to provide test data. The facility’s control room was upgraded several times over the years. Programmable logic controllers replaced the electro-mechanical control devices. The new controllers were programed to operate the valves and actuators controlling the fuel, oxidant, and ignition sequence according to a predetermined time schedule.

F-1 Engine for Saturn V Undergoing a Static Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1964-01-01

The flame and exhaust from the test firing of an F-1 engine blast out from the Saturn S-IB Static Test Stand in the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center. A Cluster of five F-1 engines, located in the S-IC (first) stage of the Saturn V vehicle, provided over 7,500,000 pounds of thrust to launch the giant rocket. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multistage, multiengine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Self-teaching digital-computer program for fail-operational control of a turbojet engine in a sea-level test stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallhagen, R. E.; Arpasi, D. J.

1974-01-01

The design and evaluation are described of a digital turbojet engine control which is capable of sensing catastrophic failures in either the engine rotor speed or the compressor discharge static-pressure signal and is capable of switching control modes to maintain near normal operation. The control program was developed for and tested on a turbojet engine located in a sea-level test stand. The control program is also capable of acquiring all the data that are necessary for the fail-operational control to function.

AIAA Aerospace America Magazine - Year in Review Article, 2010

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa, Fernando

2010-01-01

NASA Stennis Space Center has implemented a pilot operational Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) capability. The implementation was done for the E-2 Rocket Engine Test Stand and a Chemical Steam Generator (CSG) test article; and validated during operational testing. The CSG test program is a risk mitigation activity to support building of the new A-3 Test Stand, which will be a highly complex facility for testing of engines in high altitude conditions. The foundation of the ISHM capability are knowledge-based integrated domain models for the test stand and CSG, with physical and model-based elements represented by objects the domain models enable modular and evolutionary ISHM functionality.

13. Photographic copy of site plan displaying Test Stand 'C' ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. Photographic copy of site plan displaying Test Stand 'C' (4217/E-18), Test Stand 'D' (4223/E-24), and Control and Recording Center (4221/E-22) with ancillary structures, and connecting roads and services. California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Facilities Engineering and Construction Office 'Repairs to Test Stand 'C,' Edwards Test Station, Legend & Site Plan M-1,' drawing no. ESP/115, August 14, 1987. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand C, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

J-2X powerpack

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-05

NASA removed J-2X engine No. 10001 from the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center in early October. Opening of the test stand clamshell flooring allowed a clear view of the next-generation engine and stub nozzle, which is being built to help power future deep-space missions. The engine is an upgrade from the heritage J-2 rocket engine, which helped power Apollo missions to the moon during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Stennis Space Center Conducts Water Flow Test On The B-2 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-04

Stennis Space Center completed a water flow test of the refurbished B-2 Test Stand on May 4, 2018. This included both the deflector and the aspirator, individually and together. This test stand is being prepared for the testing of the Space Launch System's booster core, which will utilize four RS-25 rocket engines.

6. "EXPERIMENTAL ROCKET ENGINE TEST STATION AT AFFTC." A low ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. "EXPERIMENTAL ROCKET ENGINE TEST STATION AT AFFTC." A low oblique aerial view of Test Area 1-115, looking south, showing Test Stand 1-3 at left, Instrumentation and Control building 8668 at center, and Test Stand 15 at right. The test area is under construction; no evidence of railroad line in photo. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Leuhman Ridge near Highways 58 & 395, Boron, Kern County, CA

Low Cost Propulsion Technology Testing at the Stennis Space Center: Propulsion Test Article and the Horizontal Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Mark F.; King, Richard F.; Chenevert, Donald J.

1998-01-01

The need for low cost access to space has initiated the development of low cost liquid rocket engine and propulsion system hardware at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This hardware will be tested at the Stennis Space Center's B-2 test stand. This stand has been reactivated for the testing of the Marshall designed Fastrac engine and the Propulsion Test Article. The RP-1 and LOX engine is a turbopump fed gas generator rocket with an ablative nozzle which has a thrust of 60,000 lbf. The Propulsion Test Article (PTA) is a test bed for low cost propulsion system hardware including a composite RP-I tank, flight feedlines and pressurization system, stacked in a booster configuration. The PTA is located near the center line of the B-2 test stand, firing vertically into the water cooled flame deflector. A new second position on the B-2 test stand has been designed and built for the horizontal testing of the Fastrac engine in direct support of the X-34 launch vehicle. The design and integration of these test facilities as well as the coordination which was required between the two Centers is described and lessons learned are provided. The construction of the horizontal test position is discussed in detail. The activation of these facilities is examined and the major test milestones are described.

23. "A CAPTIVE ATLAS MISSILE EXPLODED DURING THE TEST ON ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

23. "A CAPTIVE ATLAS MISSILE EXPLODED DURING THE TEST ON TEST STAND 1-A, 27 MARCH 1959, PUTTING THAT TEST STAND OUT-OF-COMMISSION. STAND WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE ATLAS PROGRAM BUT TRANSFERRED TO ROCKETDYNE AND MODIFIED FOR THE F-l ENGINE PROGRAM." - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Saturn V First Stage Lowered to the Ground After Static Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

This vintage photograph shows the 138-foot long first stage of the Saturn V being lowered to the ground following a successful static test firing at Marshall Space flight Center's S-1C test stand. The firing provided NASA engineers information on the booster's systems. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Dual-Actuator Active Vibration-Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kascak, Albert F.; Kiraly, Louis J.; Montague, Gerald T.; Palazzolo, Alan B.; Manchala, Daniel

1994-01-01

Dual-actuator active vibration-control (DAAVC) system is developmental system of type described in "Active Vibration Dampers for Rotating Machinery" (LEW-15427). System features sensors and actuators positioned and oriented at bearings to measure and counteract vibrations of shaft along either of two axes perpendicular to axis of rotation. Effective in damping vibrations of helicopter-engine test stand, making it safer to operate engine at speeds near and above first resonance of engine/test-stand system. Opens new opportunities for engine designers to draw more power from engine, and concept applicable to other rotating machines.

Powerful lineup

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-11

Two J-2X engines and a powerpack, developed for NASA by Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne, sit side-by-side Oct. 11 at Stennis Space Center as work continues on the Space Launch System. Engine 10001 (far left) has been removed from the A-2 Test Stand after being hot-fire tested 21 times, for a total of 2,697 seconds. The engine is now undergoing a series of post-test inspections. A J-2X powerpack (center) has been removed from the A-1 Test Stand to receive additional instrumentation. So far, the powerpack been hot-fire tested 10 times, for a total of 4,162 seconds. Meanwhile, assembly on the second J-2X engine, known as Engine 10002 and located to the far right, has begun in earnest, with engine completion scheduled for this November. Engine 10002 is about 15 percent complete.

28. Photocopy of engineering drawing, May, 1941 (original drawing located ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

28. Photocopy of engineering drawing, May, 1941 (original drawing located at Fairchild Air Force Base, Civil Engineering Building, Civil Engineering vault). ENGINE TEST CELL BUILDING. AIR COOLED TEST STAND. - Fairchild Air Force Base, Engine Test Cell Building, Near intersection of Arnold Street & George Avenue, Spokane, Spokane County, WA

A-3 Groundbreaking Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-08-23

NASA officials and government leaders participated in a groundbreaking event for a new rocket engine test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss. Pictured (left to right) are Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Doug Cooke, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne President Jim Maser, Stennis Space Center Director Richard Gilbrech, NASA Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Scott Horowitz, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Sen. Thad Cochran, Sen. Trent Lott, Rep. Gene Taylor, SSC's Deputy Director Gene Goldman, and SSC's A-3 Project Manager Lonnie Dutreix. Stennis' A-3 Test Stand will provide altitude testing for NASA's developing J-2X engine. That engine will power the upper stages of NASA's Ares I and Ares V rockets. A-3 is the first large test stand to be built at SSC since the site's inception in the 1960s.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-09-15

This vintage photograph shows the 138-foot long first stage of the Saturn V being lowered to the ground following a successful static test firing at Marshall Space flight Center's S-1C test stand. The firing provided NASA engineers information on the booster's systems. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

76 FR 26899 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments on Sixty-Four Proposed Information...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-09

.... Title: NESHAP for Engine Test Cells/Stands (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart PPPPP). ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number.... Title: NESHAP for Steel Pickling, HCL Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants (40... Engine Test Cells/Stands (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart PPPPP); Learia Williams of the Office of Compliance...

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-09-09

This image depicts a firing of a single H-1 engine at the Marshall Space Flight Center’s (MSFC’s) Power Plant test stand. This 1950s test stand, inherited from the Army, was used to test fire engines until the Test Area was completed in the latter 1960s. The H-1 engine was the workhorse of the first Saturn launch vehicles and used in the Saturn I, Block 1 and II, and in the Saturn IB. The eight H-1 engines were attached to a thrust frame on the vehicle’s aft end in two different ways. Four engines are rigidly attached to the inboard position and canted at a three degree angle to the long axis of the booster. The other four engines, mounted in the outboard position, are canted at six degrees.

A Rainbow View of NASA's RS-25 Engine Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-02-22

NASA engineers conducted their first RS-25 test of 2017 on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on Feb. 22, continuing to collect data on the performance of the rocket engine that will help power the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Shown from the viewpoint of an overhead drone, the test of development engine No. 0528 ran the scheduled 380 seconds (six minutes and 20 seconds), allowing engineers to monitor various engine operating conditions. The test represents another step forward in development of the rocket that will launch humans aboard Orion deeper into space than ever before. Four RS-25 engines, together with a pair of solid rocket boosters, will power the SLS at launch on its deep-space missions. The engines for the first four SLS flights are former space shuttle main engines, which were tested extensively at Stennis and are some of the most proven engines in the world. Engineers are conducting an ongoing series of tests this year for SLS on both development and flight engines for future flights to ensure the engine, outfitted with a new controller, can perform at the higher level under a variety of conditions and situations. Stennis is also preparing its B-2 Test Stand to test the core stage for the first SLS flight with Orion, known as Exploration Mission-1. That testing will involve installing the flight stage on the stand and firing its four RS-25 engines simultaneously, just as during an actual launch. The Feb. 22 test was conducted by Aerojet Rocketdyne and Syncom Space Services engineers and operators. Aerojet Rocketdyne is the prime contractor for the RS-25 engines. Syncom Space Services is the prime contractor for Stennis facilities and operations. PAO Name:Kim Henry Phone Number:256-544-1899 Email Address: kimberly.m.henry@nasa.gov

A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-19

The A-3 Test Stand under construction at Stennis Space Center is set for completion and activation in 2013. It will allow operators to conduct simulated high-altitude testing on the next-generation J-2X rocket engine.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1964-03-01

The flame and exhaust from the test firing of an F-1 engine blast out from the Saturn S-IB Static Test Stand in the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center. A Cluster of five F-1 engines, located in the S-IC (first) stage of the Saturn V vehicle, provided over 7,500,000 pounds of thrust to launch the giant rocket. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multistage, multiengine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Destination: Space

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-05-20

RS-25 rocket engine No. 2059 is removed from the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on May 19, 2016. The engine was tested March 10 on the stand and is ready for use on NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle. NASA is developing the SLS to carry humans deeper into space than ever before. The SLS core stage will be powered by four RS-25 engines. Engine No. 2059 is scheduled for use on the first crewed SLS mission, Exploration Mission-2, which will carry American astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time since 1972. The photo above shows the engine, as well as the yellow thrust frame adapter above it, which holds the engine in place for testing.

Test stand performance of a convertible engine for advanced V/STOL and rotorcraft propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcardle, Jack G.

1987-01-01

A variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) convertible engine that could be used to power future high-speed V/STOL and rotorcraft was tested on an outdoor stand. The engine ran stably and smoothly in the turbofan, turboshaft, and dual (combined fan and shaft) power modes. In the turbofan mode with the VIGV open, fuel consumption was comparable to that of a conventional turbofan engine. In the turboshaft mode with the VIGV closed, fuel consumption was higher than that of present turboshaft engines because power was wasted in churning fan-tip air flow. In dynamic performance tests with a specially built digital engine control and using a waterbrake dynamometer for shaft load, the engine responded effectively to large steps in thrust command and shaft torque.

Test stand performance of a convertible engine for advanced V/STOL and rotorcraft propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcardle, Jack G.

1988-01-01

A variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) convertible engine that could be used to power future high-speed V/STOL and rotorcraft was tested on an outdoor stand. The engine ran stably and smoothly in the turbofan, turboshaft, and dual (combined fan and shaft) power modes. In the turbofan mode with the VIGV open, fuel consumption was comparable to that of a conventional turbofan engine. In the turboshaft mode with the VIGV closed, fuel consumption was higher than that of present turboshaft engines because power was wasted in churning fan-tip air flow. In dynamic performance tests with a specially built digital engine control and using a waterbrake dynamometer for shaft load, the engine responded effectively to large steps in thrust command and shaft torque.

Credit BG. View looking west down into Test Stand "D" ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit BG. View looking west down into Test Stand "D" vertical vacuum cell with top removed. Access to cell is normally through large round port seen in view. Piping and cradling toward bottom of cell was last used in tests of Viking space probe engines - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

A-1 Test Stand work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

Employees at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center work to maneuver a structural steam beam into place on the A-1 Test Stand on Jan. 13. The beam was one of several needed to form the thrust takeout structure that will support a new thrust measurement system being installed on the stand for future rocket engine testing. Once lifted onto the stand, the beams had to be hoisted into place through the center of the test stand, with only two inches of clearance on each side. The new thrust measurement system represents a state-of-the-art upgrade from the equipment installed more than 40 years ago when the test stand was first constructed.

Construction Progress of the S-IC Test Stand Complex Bunker House

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1963-01-01

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army's Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the S-IC stand, additional related facilities were built during this time frame. Built to the east of the S-IC stand, the block house served as the control room. To the south of the blockhouse was a newly constructed pump house used for delivering water to the S-IC stand during testing. North of the massive test stand, the F-1 Engine test stand was built for testing a single F-1 engine. Just southeast of the S-IC stand a concrete bunker house was constructed. The bunker housed an emergency crew clad in fire proof gear, who were close at hand should any emergencies arise during testing. This photo of the completed bunker house was taken on May 7, 1963.

AJ26 engine testing moves forward

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-19

Stennis employees at the E-1 Test Stand position an Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine in preparation for a series of early tests. Stennis has partnered with Orbital Sciences Corporation to test the rocket engine for the company's commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station.

LH tank installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-25

Stennis Space Center employees marked another construction milestone July 25 with installation of the 85,000-gallon liquid hydrogen tank atop the A-3 Test Stand. The 300-foot-tall stand is being built to test next-generation rocket engines that could carry humans into deep space once more. The liquid hydrogen tank and a 35,000-gallon liquid oxygen tank installed atop the steel structure earlier in June will provide fuel propellants for testing the engines.

Pegasus delivers SLS engine section

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-03

NASA engineers install test hardware for the agency's new heavy lift rocket, the Space Launch System, into a newly constructed 50-foot structural test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. In the stand, hydraulic cylinders will be electronically controlled to push, pull, twist and bend the test article with millions of pounds of force. Engineers will record and analyze over 3,000 channels of data for each test case to verify the capabilities of the engine section and validate that the design and analysis models accurately predict the amount of loads the core stage can withstand during launch and ascent. The engine section, recently delivered via NASA's barge Pegasus from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, is the first of four core stage structural test articles scheduled to be delivered to Marshall for testing. The engine section, located at the bottom of SLS's massive core stage, will house the rocket's four RS-25 engines and be an attachment point for the two solid rocket boosters.

Pegasus delivers SLS engine section

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-18

NASA engineers install test hardware for the agency's new heavy lift rocket, the Space Launch System, into a newly constructed 50-foot structural test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. In the stand, hydraulic cylinders will be electronically controlled to push, pull, twist and bend the test article with millions of pounds of force. Engineers will record and analyze over 3,000 channels of data for each test case to verify the capabilities of the engine section and validate that the design and analysis models accurately predict the amount of loads the core stage can withstand during launch and ascent. The engine section, recently delivered via NASA's barge Pegasus from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, is the first of four core stage structural test articles scheduled to be delivered to Marshall for testing. The engine section, located at the bottom of SLS's massive core stage, will house the rocket's four RS-25 engines and be an attachment point for the two solid rocket boosters.

J-2X engine test

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-26

A plume of steam signals a successful engine start of the J-2X rocket engine on the A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on July 26. The 3.7-second test was the second on the next-generation engine, which is being developed for NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Busy test week

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

NASA engineer Andy Guymon studies data in the E-3 Test Stand Control Center at John C. Stennis Space Center during testing of NASA's Project Morpheus engine. Nov. 8. The test of the liquid oxygen, liquid methane engine was one of 27 conducted in Stennis' E Test Complex the week of Nov. 5.

View looking north west showing the boom, top of the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View looking north west showing the boom, top of the center mast and boom angle reeving of the 175-ton derrick. Note in the background of the view, just above the center mast is the F-1 Static-Test Stand used for test firing the Saturn V engines and subsequent program's engine testing. Also in the background center is the Redstone Static Test Stand (center right) and it's cold calibration tower (center left). - Marshall Space Flight Center, Saturn V Dynamic Test Facility, East Test Area, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test in 40x80ft w.t.: Engineers Peter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test in 40x80ft w.t.: Engineers Peter Zell (left) and Dr Clifton Horne (right) are shown preparing a laser light sheet for a flow visualization test. Shown standing in the nacelle of the ADP is John Girvin, senior test engineer for Pratt & Whitney.

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test in 40x80ft w.t.: Engineers Peter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test in 40x80ft w.t.: Engineers Peter Zell (left) and Dr Clifton Horne (right) are shown preparing for a laser light sheet for a flow visualization test. Shown standing in the nacelle of the ADP is John Girvin, senior test engineer for Pratt & Whitney.

Saturn V First Stage Leaves the Dynamic Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

This photo shows the Saturn V first stage being lowered to the ground following a successful test to determine the effects of continual vibrations simulating the effects of an actual launch. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

49. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, test ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

49. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, test stand A with engineer examining damage to test engine, October 21, 1966. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-66-4064. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

2. VIEW NORTHWEST FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: COLD CALIBRATION BLOCKHOUSE, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. VIEW NORTHWEST FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: COLD CALIBRATION BLOCKHOUSE, COLD CALIBRATION TEST STAND FOR FL ENGINE FOR SATURN V. EXHAUST DUCT IN FOREGROUND. - Marshall Space Flight Center, East Test Area, Cold Calibration Test Stand, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-04-26

Two technicians watch carefully as cables prepare to lift a J-2 engine into a test stand. The J-2 powered the second stage and the third stage of the Saturn V moon rocket. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

CSG delivery and installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-27

The first of nine chemical steam generator (CSG) units that will be used on the A-3 Test Stand is hoisted into place at the E-2 Test Stand at John C. Stennis Space Center on Oct. 24, 2010. The unit was installed at the E-2 stand for verification and validation testing before it is moved to the A-3 stand. Steam generated by the nine CSG units that will be installed on the A-3 stand will create a vacuum that allows Stennis operators to test next-generation rocket engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet.

24. CLOSEUP OF MOUNT FOR F1 ENGINE ON STATIC TEST ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

24. CLOSE-UP OF MOUNT FOR F-1 ENGINE ON STATIC TEST TOWER WITH STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS TEST STAND IN DISTANCE. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Saturn Propulsion & Structural Test Facility, East Test Area, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

NASA Conducts Final RS-25 Rocket Engine Test of 2017

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-13

NASA engineers at Stennis Space Center capped a year of Space Launch System testing with a final RS-25 rocket engine hot fire on Dec. 13. The 470-second test on the A-1 Test Stand was a “green run” test of an RS-25 flight controller. The engine tested also included a large 3-D-printed part, a pogo accumulator assembly, scheduled for use on future RS-25 flight engines.

2. Credit JPL. Photographic copy of photograph, looking northeast at ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. Credit JPL. Photographic copy of photograph, looking northeast at unfinished original Test Stand 'C' construction. A portion of the corrugated steel tunnel tube connecting Test Stand 'C' to the first phase of JPL tunnel system construction is visible in the foreground. The steel frame used to support propellant tanks and engine equipment has been erected. The open trap door leads to a chamber inside the Test Stand 'C' base where gaseous nitrogen is distributed via manifolds to Test Stand 'C' control valves. (JPL negative no. 384-1568-A, 19 March 1957) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand C, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

ETR CRITICAL FACILITY, TRA654. SCIENTISTS STAND AT EDGE OF TANK ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

ETR CRITICAL FACILITY, TRA-654. SCIENTISTS STAND AT EDGE OF TANK AND LIFT REMOVABLE BRIDGE ABOVE THE REACTOR. CONTROL RODS AND FUEL RODS ARE BELOW ENOUGH WATER TO SHIELD WORKERS ABOVE. NOTE CRANE RAILS ALONG WALLS, PUMICE BLOCK WALLS. INL NEGATIVE NO. 57-3690. R.G. Larsen, Photographer, 7/29/1957 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Stimulated Electron Desorption Studies from Microwave Vacuum Electronics / High Power Microwave Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-11

purchase a new gun. Mr. Mike Ackeret ( Transfer Engineering Inc.) Transfer Engineering’s expertise in specialty UHV work and machining propelled...modifications they helped design for the test stand. With UNLV guidance, Transfer Engineering designed and built the original UNLV SEE Test Stand...Staib electron gun, an isolated beam drift tube, a hexanode delay line with a chevron microchannel plate (MCP) stack, an isolated grid, an isolated

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1980-09-23

Pictured is a dual position Saturn I/IB test at the T-Stand at Marshall Space Flight Center. This stand was built to test two articles at the same time, thus providing engineers at MSFC with the opportunity to compare identical burns.

Integrated System Health Management: Pilot Operational Implementation in a Rocket Engine Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa, Fernando; Schmalzel, John L.; Morris, Jonathan A.; Turowski, Mark P.; Franzl, Richard

2010-01-01

This paper describes a credible implementation of integrated system health management (ISHM) capability, as a pilot operational system. Important core elements that make possible fielding and evolution of ISHM capability have been validated in a rocket engine test stand, encompassing all phases of operation: stand-by, pre-test, test, and post-test. The core elements include an architecture (hardware/software) for ISHM, gateways for streaming real-time data from the data acquisition system into the ISHM system, automated configuration management employing transducer electronic data sheets (TEDS?s) adhering to the IEEE 1451.4 Standard for Smart Sensors and Actuators, broadcasting and capture of sensor measurements and health information adhering to the IEEE 1451.1 Standard for Smart Sensors and Actuators, user interfaces for management of redlines/bluelines, and establishment of a health assessment database system (HADS) and browser for extensive post-test analysis. The ISHM system was installed in the Test Control Room, where test operators were exposed to the capability. All functionalities of the pilot implementation were validated during testing and in post-test data streaming through the ISHM system. The implementation enabled significant improvements in awareness about the status of the test stand, and events and their causes/consequences. The architecture and software elements embody a systems engineering, knowledge-based approach; in conjunction with object-oriented environments. These qualities are permitting systematic augmentation of the capability and scaling to encompass other subsystems.

29. SATURN ROCKET ENGINE LOCATED ON NORTH SIDE OF STATIC ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

29. SATURN ROCKET ENGINE LOCATED ON NORTH SIDE OF STATIC TEST STAND - DETAILS OF THE EXPANSION NOZZLE. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Saturn Propulsion & Structural Test Facility, East Test Area, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

A-1 Test Stand work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

A structural steel beam to support the new thrust measurement system on the A-1 Test Stand at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center is lifted to waiting employees for installation. The beam is part of the thrust takeout structure needed to support the new measurement system. Four such beams have been installed at the stand in preparation for installation of the system in upcoming weeks. Operators are preparing the stand for testing the next generation of rocket engines for the U.S. space program.

CSG delivery and installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-27

John C. Stennis Space Center employees complete installation of a chemical steam generator (CSG) unit at the site's E-2 Test Stand. On Oct. 24, 2010. The unit will undergo verification and validation testing on the E-2 stand before it is moved to the A-3 Test Stand under construction at Stennis. Each CSG unit includes three modules. Steam generated by the nine CSG units that will be installed on the A-3 stand will create a vacuum that allows Stennis operators to test next-generation rocket engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet.

CSG delivery and installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-27

The first of nine chemical steam generator (CSG) units that will be used on the A-3 Test Stand is prepared for installation Oct. 24, 2010, at John C. Stennis Space Center. The unit was installed at the E-2 Test Stand for verification and validation testing before it is moved to the A-3 stand. Steam generated by the nine CSG units that will be installed on the A-3 stand will create a vacuum that allows Stennis operators to test next-generation rocket engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet.

CSG delivery and installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-22

The first of nine chemical steam generator (CSG) units that will be used on the A-3 Test Stand arrived at John. C. Stennis Space Center on Oct. 22, 2010. The unit was installed at the E-2 Test Stand for verification and validation testing before it is moved to the A-3 stand. Steam generated by the nine CSG units that will be installed on the A-3 stand will create a vacuum that allows Stennis operators to test next-generation rocket engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet.

Modeling Potential Carbon Monoxide Exposure Due to Operation of a Major Rocket Engine Altitude Test Facility Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blotzer, Michael J.; Woods, Jody L.

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews computational fluid dynamics as a tool for modelling the dispersion of carbon monoxide at the Stennis Space Center's A3 Test Stand. The contents include: 1) Constellation Program; 2) Constellation Launch Vehicles; 3) J2X Engine; 4) A-3 Test Stand; 5) Chemical Steam Generators; 6) Emission Estimates; 7) Located in Existing Test Complex; 8) Computational Fluid Dynamics; 9) Computational Tools; 10) CO Modeling; 11) CO Model results; and 12) Next steps.

40. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

40. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with engineers working on rocket engine mounted on test stand A, June 26, 1959. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-51026. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Combustion Stability of the Gas Generator Assembly from J-2X Engine E10001 and Powerpack Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hulka, J. R.; Kenny, R. L.; Casiano, M. J.

2013-01-01

Testing of a powerpack configuration (turbomachinery and gas generator assembly) and the first complete engine system of the liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen propellant J-2X rocket engine have been completed at the NASA Stennis Space Center. The combustion stability characteristics of the gas generator assemblies on these two systems are of interest for reporting since considerable effort was expended to eliminate combustion instability during early development of the gas generator assembly with workhorse hardware. Comparing the final workhorse gas generator assembly development test data to the powerpack and engine system test data provides an opportunity to investigate how the nearly identical configurations of gas generator assemblies operate with two very different propellant supply systems one the autonomous pressure-fed test configuration on the workhorse development test stand, the other the pump-fed configurations on the powerpack and engine systems. The development of the gas generator assembly and the elimination of the combustion instability on the pressure-fed workhorse test stand have been reported extensively in the two previous Liquid Propulsion Subcommittee meetings 1-7. The powerpack and engine system testing have been conducted from mid-2011 through 2012. All tests of the powerpack and engine system gas generator systems to date have been stable. However, measureable dynamic behavior, similar to that observed on the pressure-fed test stand and reported in Ref. [6] and attributed to an injection-coupled response, has appeared in both powerpack and engine system tests. As discussed in Ref. [6], these injection-coupled responses are influenced by the interaction of the combustion chamber with a branch pipe in the hot gas duct that supplies gaseous helium to pre-spin the turbine during the start transient. This paper presents the powerpack and engine system gas generator test data, compares these data to the development test data, and provides additional combustion stability analyses of the configurations.

50. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, closeup ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

50. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, closeup of test stand A, with engineer examining damage to test engine, October 21, 1966. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-66-4063. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Video File - NASA Conducts Final RS-25 Rocket Engine Test of 2017

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-13

NASA engineers at Stennis Space Center capped a year of Space Launch System testing with a final RS-25 rocket engine hot fire on Dec. 13. The 470-second test on the A-1 Test Stand was a “green run” test of an RS-25 flight controller. The engine tested also included a large 3-D-printed part, a pogo accumulator assembly, scheduled for use on future RS-25 flight engines.

48. HISTORIC CLOSEUP VIEW OF THE REDSTONE ROCKET IN THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

48. HISTORIC CLOSE-UP VIEW OF THE REDSTONE ROCKET IN THE TEST STAND, WITH THE TAIL SECTION REMOVED, REVEALING THE ROCKET ENGINE WITH SOME OF THE TESTING SENSORS ATTACHED. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Rocket (Missile) Test Stand, Dodd Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

J-2X engine installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-10

A J-2X next-generation rocket engine is lifted onto the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center. Testing of the engine began the following month. The engine is being developed for NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and could help carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit into deep space once more.

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, view of Test Stand ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, view of Test Stand "D" from the south with tower ejector system in operation during a 1972 engine test. Note steam evolving from Z-stage ejectors atop the interstage condenser in the tower. Note also the "Hyprox" steam generator straddling the Dd ejector train to the right. The new Dy horizontal train has not been erected as of this date. In the distance is Test Stand "E." (JPL negative no. 384-9766-AC, 28 November 1972) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

CFD assessment of the pollutant environment from RD-170 propulsion system testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Ten-See; Mcconnaughey, Paul; Warsi, Saif; Chen, Yen-Sen

1995-01-01

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology has been used to assess the exhaust plume pollutant environment of the RD-170 engine hot-firing on the F1 Test Stand at Marshall Space Flight Center. Researchers know that rocket engine hot-firing has the potential for forming thermal nitric oxides (NO(x)), as well as producing carbon monoxide (CO) when hydrocarbon fuels are used. Because of the complicated physics involved, however, little attempt has been made to predict the pollutant emissions from ground-based engine testing, except for simplified methods which can grossly underpredict and/or overpredict the pollutant formations in a test environment. The objective of this work, therefore, has been to develop a technology using CFD to describe the underlying pollutant emission physics from ground-based rocket engine testing. This resultant technology is based on a three-dimensional (3D), viscous flow, pressure-based CFD formulation, where wet CO and thermal NO finite-rate chemistry mechanisms are solved with a Penalty Function method. A nominal hot-firing of a RD-170 engine on the F1 stand has been computed. Pertinent test stand flow physics such as the multiple-nozzle clustered engine plume interaction, air aspiration from base and aspirator, plume mixing with entrained air that resulted in contaminant dilution and afterburning, counter-afterburning due to flame bucket water-quenching, plume impingement on the flame bucket, and restricted multiple-plume expansion and turning have been captured. The predicted total emission rates compared reasonably well with those of the existing hydrocarbon engine hot-firing test data.

A3 TEST STAND CONSTRUCTION

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE A3 TEST STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE ARES/CLV UPPER STAGE ENGINE AT STENNIS SPACE CENTER, MISSISSIPPI. THIS IMAGE IS EXTRACTED FROM A HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO FILE AND IS THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION AVAILABLE.

Photographic copy of plan of new Dy horizontal station and ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of plan of new Dy horizontal station and accumulator additions to Test Stand "D," also showing existing Dd test station. JPL drawing by VTN Consolidated, Inc. Engineers, Architects, Planners, 2301 Campus Drive, Irvine, California 92664: "Jet Propulsion Laboratory-Edwards Test Station, Motive Steam Supply & Ejector Pumping System: Plan - Test Stand "D," sheet M-3 (JPL sheet number E24/33), 21 December 1976 - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Effect on cold starting performance of an exhaust gas to engine coolant heat exchanger in an automobile

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goettler, H.J.; Vidger, L.J.

The effect of exhaust-to-coolant heat exchange on fuel economy and cab heater performance during cold start was studied using a 1981 Ford Granada automobile and a 1977 Buick V-6 engine on a test stand. The ambient soaking temperatures ranged from 35 to -15 degrees Fahrenheit. It was found that fuel used in a 7 minute warm up run of the test stand engine was less by 2.1 to 4.6% when the heat exchanger replaced the muffler in the system. Likewise for the Granada, fuel consumption was less by 2.8 to 3.8% over an in town test route and less bymore » 1.5 to 1.8% on a highway test route, when the heat exchanger replaced the muffler. Similarly, the time required for the coolant at the inlet of the cab heater to reach a temperature of 180 Fahrenheit was 27.5 to 28.8% shorter for the test stand engine, 6.3 to 7.0% shorter for the Granada in town route and 16.6 to 16.9% shorter for the Granada highway route, when the heat exchanger replaced the muffler.« less

Environmental Assessment for the Construction and Operation of the Constellation Program A-3 Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kennedy, Carolyn D.

2007-01-01

This document is an environmental assessment that examines the environmental impacts of a proposed plan to clear land and to construct a test stand for use in testing the J-2X rocket engine at simulated altitude conditions in support of NASA's Constellation Program.

Stennis certifies final shuttle engine

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-22

Steam blasts out of the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on Oct. 22 as engineers begin a certification test on engine 2061, the last space shuttle main flight engine scheduled to be built. Since 1975, Stennis has tested every space shuttle main engine used in the program - about 50 engines in all. Those engines have powered more than 120 shuttle missions - and no mission has failed as a result of engine malfunction. For the remainder of 2008 and throughout 2009, Stennis will continue testing of various space shuttle main engine components.

Credit BG. View looking northeast at southwestern side of Test ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit BG. View looking northeast at southwestern side of Test Stand "D" complex. Test Stand "D" workshop (Building 4222/E-23) is at left; shed to its immediate right is an entrance to underground tunnel system which interconnects all test stands. To the right of Test Stand "D" tower are four Clayton water-tube flash boilers once used in the Steam Generator Plant 4280/E-81 to power the vacuum ejector system at "D" and "C" stands. A corner of 4280/E-81 appears behind the boilers. Boilers were removed as part of stand dismantling program. The Dv (vertical vacuum) Test Cell is located in the Test Stand "D" tower, behind the sunscreen on the west side. The top of the tower contains a hoist for lifting or lowering rocket engines into the Dv Cell. Other equipment mounted in the tower is part of the steam-driven vacuum ejector system - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

38. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, showing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

38. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, showing damage to test stand A and rocket engine after failure and explosion of engine, December 12, 1958. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-49376. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Ares Launch Vehicles Development Awakens Historic Test Stands at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumbacher, Daniel L.; Burt, Richard K.

2008-01-01

This paper chronicles the rebirth of two national rocket testing assets located at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center: the Dynamic Test Stand (also known as the Ground Vibration Test Stand) and the Static Test Stand (also known as the Main Propulsion Test Stand). It will touch on the historical significance of these special facilities, while introducing the requirements driving modifications for testing a new generation space transportation system, which is set to come on line after the Space Shuttle is retired in 2010. In many ways, America's journey to explore the Moon begins at the Marshall Center, which is developing the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle, along with managing the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program and leading the Lunar Lander descent stage work, among other Constellation Program assignments. An important component of this work is housed in Marshall's Engineering Directorate, which manages more than 40 facilities capable of a full spectrum of rocket and space transportation technology testing - from small components to full-up engine systems. The engineers and technicians who operate these test facilities have more than a thousand years of combined experience in this highly specialized field. Marshall has one of the few government test groups in the United States with responsibility for the overall performance of a test program from conception to completion. The Test Laboratory has facilities dating back to the early 1960s, when the test stands needed for the Apollo Program and other scientific endeavors were commissioned and built along the Marshall Center's southern boundary, with logistics access by air, railroad, and barge or boat on the Tennessee River. NASA and its industry partners are designing and developing a new human-rated system based on the requirements for safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation solutions. Given below are summaries of the Dynamic Test Stand and the Static Test Stand capabilities, along with an introduction to the new missions that these sleeping giants will be fulfilling as NASA readies the Ares I for service in the 2015 timeframe, and plans the development work for fielding the Ares V late next decade (fig. 1). Validating modern computer design models and techniques requires the sorts of data that can only be generated by these one-of-a-kind facilities.

76 FR 33981 - Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PW210S Turboshaft Engine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... system includes a dual channel full authority digital electronic control. The engine will incorporate a... mode operation. The commenter stated that the 400 cycle dynamic braking test is inappropriate for this engine certification program, that engine dynamics will be difficult to simulate in a test stand, and...

NASA Dryden's new in-house designed Propulsion Flight Test Fixture (PFTF), carried on an F-15B's cen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center's new in-house designed Propulsion Flight Test Fixture (PFTF) is an airborne engine test facility that allows engineers to glean actual flight data on small experimental engines that would otherwise have to be gathered from traditional wind tunnels, ground test stands or laboratory setups. Now, with the 'captive carry' capability of the PFTF, new air-breathing propulsion schemes, such as Rocket Based Combined Cycle engines, can be economically flight-tested using sub-scale experiments. The PFTF flew mated to NASA Dryden's specially-equipped supersonic F-15B research aircraft during December 2001 and January 2002. The PFTF, carried on the F-15B's centerline attachment point, underwent in-flight checkout, known as flight envelope expansion, in order to verify its design and capabilities. Envelope expansion for the PFTF included envelope clearance, which involves maximum performance testing. Top speed of the F-15B with the PFTF is Mach 2.0. Other elements of envelope clearance are flying qualities assessment and flutter analysis. Airflow visualization of the PFTF and a 'stand-in' test engine was accomplished by attaching small tufts of nylon on them and videotaping the flow patterns revealed during flight. A surrogate experimental engine shape, called the cone tube, was flown attached to the force balance on the PFTF. The cone tube emulated the dimensional and mass properties of the maximum design load the PFTF can carry. As the F-15B put the PFTF and the attached cone tube through its paces, accurate data was garnered, allowing engineers to fully verify PFTF and force balance capabilities in real flight conditions. When the first actual experimental engine is ready to fly on the F-15B/PFTF, engineers will have full confidence and knowledge of what they can accomplish with this 'flying engine test stand.'

NASA Dryden's new in-house designed Propulsion Flight Test Fixture (PFTF) flew mated to a specially-

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center's new in-house designed Propulsion Flight Test Fixture (PFTF) is an airborne engine test facility that allows engineers to glean actual flight data on small experimental engines that would otherwise have to be gathered from traditional wind tunnels, ground test stands or laboratory setups. Now, with the 'captive carry' capability of the PFTF, new air-breathing propulsion schemes, such as Rocket Based Combined Cycle engines, can be economically flight-tested using sub-scale experiments. The PFTF flew mated to NASA Dryden's specially-equipped supersonic F-15B research aircraft during December 2001 and January 2002. The PFTF, carried on the F-15B's centerline attachment point, underwent in-flight checkout, known as flight envelope expansion, in order to verify its design and capabilities. Envelope expansion for the PFTF included envelope clearance, which involves maximum performance testing. Top speed of the F-15B with the PFTF is Mach 2.0. Other elements of envelope clearance are flying qualities assessment and flutter analysis. Airflow visualization of the PFTF and a 'stand-in' test engine was accomplished by attaching small tufts of nylon on them and videotaping the flow patterns revealed during flight. A surrogate experimental engine shape, called the cone tube, was flown attached to the force balance on the PFTF. The cone tube emulated the dimensional and mass properties of the maximum design load the PFTF can carry. As the F-15B put the PFTF and the attached cone tube through its paces, accurate data was garnered, allowing engineers to fully verify PFTF and force balance capabilities in real flight conditions. When the first actual experimental engine is ready to fly on the F-15B/PFTF, engineers will have full confidence and knowledge of what they can accomplish with this 'flying engine test stand.'

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARMY STATIONARY AXLE TEST STAND FOR LUBRICANT EFFICIENCY EVALUATION-PART II

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-13

value was estimated based on the engines maximum peak torque output, multiplied by the transmissions 1st gear ratio, high range transfer case ratio...efficiency test stand to allow for laboratory based investigation of Fuel Efficient Gear Oils (FEGO) and their impact on vehicle efficiency. Development...their impact on vehicle efficiency. The test stand was designed and developed with the following goals: • Provide a lower cost alternative for

A-3 First Tree Cutting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

Tree clearing for the site of the new A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space center began June 13. NASA's first new large rocket engine test stand to be built since the site's inception, A-3 construction begins a historic era for America's largest rocket engine test complex. The 300-foot-tall structure is scheduled for completion in August 2010. A-3 will perform altitude tests on the Constellation's J-2X engine that will power the upper stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle and earth departure stage of the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. The Constellation Program, NASA's plan for carrying out the nation's Vision for Space Exploration, will return humans to the moon and eventually carry them to Mars and beyond.

A-3 First Tree Cutting

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-13

Tree clearing for the site of the new A-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space center began June 13. NASA's first new large rocket engine test stand to be built since the site's inception, A-3 construction begins a historic era for America's largest rocket engine test complex. The 300-foot-tall structure is scheduled for completion in August 2010. A-3 will perform altitude tests on the Constellation's J-2X engine that will power the upper stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle and earth departure stage of the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. The Constellation Program, NASA's plan for carrying out the nation's Vision for Space Exploration, will return humans to the moon and eventually carry them to Mars and beyond.

Pathfinder

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-06-04

A close-up view of Bantam duration testing of the 40K Fastrac II Engine for X-34 at Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) test stand 116. The Bantam test refers to the super lightweight engines of the Fastrac program. The engines were designed as part of the low cost X-34 Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The testing of these engines at MSFC allowed the engineers to determine the capabilities of these engines and the metal alloys that were used in their construction. The Fastrac and X-34 programs were cancelled in 2001.

TMS delivered for A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-17

A state-of-the-art thrust measurement system for the A-3 Test Stand under construction at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center was delivered March 17. Once completed, the A-3 stand (seen in background) will allow simulated high-altitude testing on the next generation of rocket engines for America's space program. Work on the stand began in 2007, with activation scheduled for 2012. The stand is the first major test structure to be built at Stennis since the 1960s. The recently delivered TMS was fabricated by Thrust Measurement Systems in Illinois. It is an advanced calibration system capable of measuring vertical and horizontal thrust loads with an accuracy within 0.15 percent at 225,000 pounds.

SSC_NASA Tests Upgraded Water System for the B-2 Test Stand - Highlights with Music

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-04

On December 4, Stennis Space Center conducted a water flow test on the B-2 test stand to check the water system’s upgraded modifications in preparation for Space Launch System’s Core Stage testing. During a test, rocket engine fire and exhaust is redirected out of the stand by a large flame trench. For this test, the water deluge system, with the capability of flowing 335,000 gallons of water per minute, directed more than 240,000 gallons of water per minute through more than 32,000 5/32-inch holes in the B2 stand flame deflector, cooling the exhaust and protecting the trench from damage.

NASA Tests Upgraded Water System for Stennis Space Center's B-2 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-04

On December 4, Stennis Space Center conducted a water flow test on the B-2 test stand to check the water system’s upgraded modifications in preparation for Space Launch System’s Core Stage testing. During a test, rocket engine fire and exhaust is redirected out of the stand by a large flame trench. For this test, the water deluge system, with the capability of flowing 335,000 gallons of water per minute, directed more than 240,000 gallons of water per minute through more than 32,000 5/32-inch holes in the B2 stand flame deflector, cooling the exhaust and protecting the trench from damage.

An inventory of aeronautical ground research facilities. Volume 2: Air breathing engine test facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pirrello, C. J.; Hardin, R. D.; Heckart, M. V.; Brown, K. R.

1971-01-01

The inventory covers free jet and direct connect altitude cells, sea level static thrust stands, sea level test cells with ram air, and propulsion wind tunnels. Free jet altitude cells and propulsion wind tunnels are used for evaluation of complete inlet-engine-exhaust nozzle propulsion systems under simulated flight conditions. These facilities are similar in principal of operation and differ primarily in test section concept. The propulsion wind tunnel provides a closed test section and restrains the flow around the test specimen while the free jet is allowed to expand freely. A chamber of large diameter about the free jet is provided in which desired operating pressure levels may be maintained. Sea level test cells with ram air provide controlled, conditioned air directly to the engine face for performance evaluation at low altitude flight conditions. Direct connect altitude cells provide a means of performance evaluation at simulated conditions of Mach number and altitude with air supplied to the flight altitude conditions. Sea level static thrust stands simply provide an instrumented engine mounting for measuring thrust at zero airspeed. While all of these facilities are used for integrated engine testing, a few provide engine component test capability.

1st SSME test of 2006

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-01-09

Water vapor surges from the flame deflector of the A-2 Test Stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center on Jan. 9 during the first space shuttle main engine test of the year. The test was an engine acceptance test of flight engine 2058. It's the first space shuttle main engine to be completely assembled at Kennedy Space Center. Objectives also included first-time (green run) tests of a high-pressure oxidizer turbo pump and an Advanced Health System Monitor engine controller. The test ran for the planned duration of 520 seconds.

Correlation of Mixture Temperature Data Obtained from Bare Intake-manifold Thermocouples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, H. Jack; Gammon, Goldie L

1946-01-01

A relatively simple equation has been found to express with fair accuracy, variation in manifold-charge temperature with charge in engine operating conditions. This equation and associated curves have been checked by multi cylinder-engine data, both test stand and flight, over a wide range of operating conditions. Average mixture temperatures, predicted by the equations of this report, agree reasonably well with results within the same range of carburetor-air temperatures from laboratories and test stands other than the NACA.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-04-16

This photograph depicts a dramatic view of the first test firing of all five F-1 engines for the Saturn V S-IC stage at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The testing lasted a full duration of 6.5 seconds. It also marked the first test performed in the new S-IC static test stand and the first test using the new control blockhouse. The S-IC stage is the first stage, or booster, of a 364-foot long rocket that ultimately took astronauts to the Moon. Operating at maximum power, all five of the engines produced 7,500,000 pounds of thrust. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the up position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. When the Saturn V S-IC first stage was placed upright in the stand , the five F-1 engine nozzles pointed downward on a 1,900 ton, water-cooled deflector. To prevent melting damage, water was sprayed through small holes in the deflector at the rate 320,000 gallons per minute.

Isopropyl alcohol tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

An isopropyl alcohol (IPA) tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen IPA, water and liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Water tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

A water tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen water, liquid oxygen (LOX) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Liquid oxygen tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

A liquid oxygen (LOX) tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen LOX, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and water tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Water tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-13

A water tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen water, liquid oxygen (LOX) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Liquid oxygen tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-18

A liquid oxygen (LOX) tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen LOX, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and water tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Isopropyl alcohol tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-18

An isopropyl alcohol (IPA) tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen IPA, water and liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Day Time Gimballing A-1 Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

A close-up view of a Space Shuttle Main Engine during a daytime test at Stennis Space Center shows how the engine is gimbaled, or rotated, to evaluate the performance of its components under simulated flight conditions.

Engine throat/nozzle optics for plume spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickford, R. L.; Duncan, D. B.

1991-01-01

The Task 2.0 Engine Throat/Nozzle Optics for Plume Spectroscopy, effort was performed under the NASA LeRC Development of Life Prediction Capabilities for Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines program. This Task produced the engineering design of an optical probe to enable spectroscopic measurements within the SSME main chamber. The probe mounts on the SSME nozzle aft manifold and collects light emitted from the throat plane and chamber. Light collected by the probe is transferred to a spectrometer through a fiber optic cable. The design analyses indicate that the probe will function throughout the engine operating cycle and is suitable for both test stand and flight operations. By detecting metallic emissions that are indicative of component degradation or incipient failure, engine shutdown can be initiated before catastrophic failure. This capability will protect valuable test stand hardware and provide enhanced mission safety.

Outdoor test stand performance of a convertible engine with variable inlet guide vanes for advanced rotorcraft propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcardle, Jack G.

1986-01-01

A variable inlet guide van (VIGV) type convertible engine that could be used to power future high-speed rotorcraft was tested on an outdoor stand. The engine ran stably and smoothly in the turbofan, turboshaft, and dual (combined fan and shaft) power modes. In the turbofan mode with the VIGV open fuel consumption was comparable to that of a conventional turbofan engine. In the turboshaft mode with the VIGV closed fuel consumption was higher than that of present turboshaft engines because power was wasted in churning fan-tip airflow. In dynamic performance tests with a specially built digital engine control and using a waterbrake dynamometer for shaft load, the engine responded effectively to large steps in thrust command and shaft torque. Previous mission analyses of a conceptual X-wing rotorcraft capable of 400-knot cruise speed were revised to account for more fan-tip churning power loss than was originally estimated. The new calculations confirm that using convertible engines rather than separate lift and cruise engines would result in a smaller, lighter craft with lower fuel use and direct operating cost.

Preparing for Flight Engine Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-11-04

The first RS-25 flight engine, engine No. 2059, is lifted onto the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on Nov. 4, 2015. The engine was tested in early 2016 to certify it for use on NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS core stage will be powered by four RS-25 engines, all tested at Stennis Space Center. NASA is developing the SLS to carry humans deeper into space than ever before, including on a journey to Mars.

Pathfinder

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-22

This photodepicts a 15 K Fastrac motor ignition test performed at Marshall Test Stand-116. The Fastrac motor is an alternative low-cost engine which is being developed and tested at Marshall. This engine was to eventually be used on an X-34 launchvehicle. The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-02-01

This image depicts an overall view of the vertical test stand for testing the J-2 engine at Rocketdyne's Propulsion Field Laboratory, in the Santa Susana Mountains, near Canoga Park, California. The J-2 engines were assembled and tested at Rocketdyne under the direction of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

50 Years of Testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-23

A 15-second test of a Saturn V rocket stage on the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center ushered in the Space Age for south Mississippi. Fifty years later, Stennis has grown into the nation’s largest rocket engine test site, continuing to test rocket engines and stages that power the nation’s space program.

46. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, detail ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

46. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, detail of test stand A with engine severely damaged during testing, September 7, 1961. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-57837. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

47. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, test ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

47. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, test stand A with technician working on zone injector engine, June 3, 1996. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-66-2396. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Diffuser Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-13

Tests begun at Stennis Space Center's E Complex Sept. 13 evaluated a liquid oxygen lead for engine start performance, part of the A-3 Test Facility Subscale Diffuser Risk Mitigation Project at SSC's E-3 Test Facility. Phase 1 of the subscale diffuser project, completed Sept. 24, was a series of 18 hot-fire tests using a 1,000-pound liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen thruster to verify maximum duration and repeatability for steam generation supporting the A-3 Test Stand project. The thruster is a stand-in for NASA's developing J-2X engine, to validate a 6 percent scale version of A-3's exhaust diffuser. Testing the J-2X at altitude conditions requires an enormous diffuser. Engineers will generate nearly 4,600 pounds per second of steam to reduce pressure inside A-3's test cell to simulate altitude conditions. A-3's exhaust diffuser has to be able to withstand regulated pressure, temperatures and the safe discharge of the steam produced during those tests. Before the real thing is built, engineers hope to work out any issues on the miniature version. Phase 2 testing is scheduled to begin this month.

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, oxidizer and fuel tank ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, oxidizer and fuel tank assembly for engine tests being raised by crane for permanent installation in Test Stand "D" tower. Each tank held 170 gallons of propellants. (JPL negative 384-2029-B, 7 August 1959) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Steel erected at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-24

Fabricated steel began arriving by truck Oct. 24 for construction of the A-3 Test Stand that will be used to test the engine for the nation's next generation of moon rockets. Within days workers from Lafayette Steel Erector Inc. began assembling the 16 steel stages needed on the foundation and footings poured in the previous year.

Steel erected at A-3 Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Fabricated steel began arriving by truck Oct. 24 for construction of the A-3 Test Stand that will be used to test the engine for the nation's next generation of moon rockets. Within days workers from Lafayette Steel Erector Inc. began assembling the 16 steel stages needed on the foundation and footings poured in the previous year.

45. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

45. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with engine mounted on test stand A. Close-up view of a twenty-thousand-pound-thrust engine being tested in relation with combustion oscillation studies, October 12, 1960. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-54595. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

System for Anomaly and Failure Detection (SAFD) system development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oreilly, D.

1992-01-01

This task specified developing the hardware and software necessary to implement the System for Anomaly and Failure Detection (SAFD) algorithm, developed under Technology Test Bed (TTB) Task 21, on the TTB engine stand. This effort involved building two units; one unit to be installed in the Block II Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Hardware Simulation Lab (HSL) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and one unit to be installed at the TTB engine stand. Rocketdyne personnel from the HSL performed the task. The SAFD algorithm was developed as an improvement over the current redline system used in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Controller (SSMEC). Simulation tests and execution against previous hot fire tests demonstrated that the SAFD algorithm can detect engine failure as much as tens of seconds before the redline system recognized the failure. Although the current algorithm only operates during steady state conditions (engine not throttling), work is underway to expand the algorithm to work during transient condition.

RP-1 delivered to E-1 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

NASA John C. Stennis Space Center employee Dustan Ladner (left) assists tanker driver David Velasco in transferring RP-1 fuel to a 20,000-gallon underground tank at the E-1 Test Stand during a March 30 delivery. The rocket propellant will be used for testing Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines beginning this summer. Stennis is testing the engines for Orbital Sciences Corporation, which has partnered with NASA to provide eight supply missions to the International Space Station through 2015. The partnership is part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services initiative to work closer with companies to provide commercial space transport once the space shuttle is retired later this year.

AJ26 rocket engine test

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

Fire and steam signal a successful test firing of Orbital Sciences Corporation's Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine at John C. Stennis Space Center. AJ26 engines will be used to power Orbital's Taurus II space vehicle on commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. On Nov. 10, operators at Stennis' E-1 Test Stand conducted a 10-second test fire of the engine, the first of a series of three verification tests. Orbital has partnered with NASA to provide eight missions to the ISS by 2015.

J-2X engine test

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-12-01

NASA conducted a key stability test firing of the J-2X rocket engine on the A-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on Dec. 1, marking another step forward in development of the upper-stage engine that will carry humans deeper into space than ever before. The J-2X will provide upper-stage power for NASA's new Space Launch System.

11. DETAIL SHOWING ROLLING ENGINE DECK AND NORTHEAST TRUSS OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. DETAIL SHOWING ROLLING ENGINE DECK AND NORTHEAST TRUSS OF SUPERSTRUCTURE. Looking northeast. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

51. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

51. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with longablative rocket engine mounted on test stand A, May 18, 1967. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-66-4084. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

54. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

54. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with engine mounted on test stand A, September 13, 1967. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-67-3274. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

52. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

52. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with engine mounted on test stand A, May 18, 1967 On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-67-1740. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Project Morpheus testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-25

A frame grab from a mounted video camera on the E-3 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center documents testing of the new Project Morpheus engine. The new liquid methane, liquid oxygen engine will power the Morpheus prototype lander, which could one day evolve to carry cargo safely to the moon, asteroids or Mars surfaces.

X-34 40K Fastrac II Engine Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This is a photo of an X-34 40K Fastrac II duration test performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center test stand 116 (TS116) in June 1997. Engine ignition is started with Tea-Gas which makes the start burn green. The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

Developments in Test Facility and Data Networking for the Altitude Test Stand at the John C. Stennis Space Center: A General Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebert, Phillip W.

2008-01-01

NASA/SSC's Mission in Rocket Propulsion Testing Is to Acquire Test Performance Data for Verification, Validation and Qualification of Propulsion Systems Hardware: Accurate, Reliable, Comprehensive, and Timely. Data Acquisition in a Rocket Propulsion Test Environment Is Challenging: a) Severe Temporal Transient Dynamic Environments; b) Large Thermal Gradients; c) Vacuum to high pressure regimes. A-3 Test Stand Development is equally challenging with respect to accommodating vacuum environment, operation of a CSG system, and a large quantity of data system and control channels to determine proper engine performance as well as Test Stand operation. SSC is currently in the process of providing modernized DAS, Control Systems, Video, and network systems for the A-3 Test Stand to overcome these challenges.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-09-01

Workmen in the Dynamic Test Stand lowered the nose cone into place to complete stacking of the left side of the solid rocket booster (SRB) in the Dynamic Test Stand at the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The SRB would be attached to the external tank (ET) and then the orbiter later for the Mated Vertical Ground Vibration Test (MVGVT), that resumed in October 1978. The stacking of a complete Shuttle in the Dynamic Test Stand allowed test engineers to perform ground vibration testing on the Shuttle in its liftoff configuration. The purpose of the MVGVT was to verify that the Space Shuttle would perform as predicted during launch. The platforms inside the Dynamic Test Stand were modified to accommodate two SRB'S to which the ET was attached.

44. Historic photo of interior of Building 202 test cell, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

44. Historic photo of interior of Building 202 test cell, showing rocket engine on test stand and camera set up for filming tests, September 1960. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-54464. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

A Design Tool for Matching UAV Propeller and Power Plant Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangio, Arion L.

A large body of knowledge is available for matching propellers to engines for large propeller driven aircraft. Small UAV's and model airplanes operate at much lower Reynolds numbers and use fixed pitch propellers so the information for large aircraft is not directly applicable. A design tool is needed that takes into account Reynolds number effects, allows for gear reduction, and the selection of a propeller optimized for the airframe. The tool developed in this thesis does this using propeller performance data generated from vortex theory or wind tunnel experiments and combines that data with an engine power curve. The thrust, steady state power, RPM, and tip Mach number vs. velocity curves are generated. The Reynolds number vs. non dimensional radial station at an operating point is also found. The tool is then used to design a geared power plant for the SAE Aero Design competition. To measure the power plant performance, a purpose built engine test stand was built. The characteristics of the engine test stand are also presented. The engine test stand was then used to characterize the geared power plant. The power plant uses a 26x16 propeller, 100/13 gear ratio, and an LRP 0.30 cubic inch engine turning at 28,000 RPM and producing 2.2 HP. Lastly, the measured power plant performance is presented. An important result is that 17 lbf of static thrust is produced.

A3 TEST STAND DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

THIS IMAGE DOCUMENTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE A3 TEST STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE ARES/CLV UPPER STAGE ENGINE DEVELOPMENT AT STENNIS SPACE CENTER, MISSIPPI IN SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTELLATION/ARES PROJECT. THIS IMAGE IS EXTRACTED FROM A HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO FILE AND IS THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION AVAILABLE

2. Credit GE. Photographic copy of photograph, refractory brick lining ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. Credit GE. Photographic copy of photograph, refractory brick lining being laid in Test Stand 'A' flame pit to protect concrete from heat of rocket engine flames. (JPL negative no. 383-764, 8 March 1945) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand A, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

AJ26 rocket engine testing news briefing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

Operators at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center are completing modifications to the E-1 Test Stand to begin testing Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines in early summer of 2010. Modifications include construction of a 27-foot-deep flame deflector trench. The AJ26 rocket engines will be used to power Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus II space vehicles to provide commercial cargo transportation missions to the International Space Station for NASA. Stennis has partnered with Orbital to test all engines for the transport missions.

Return to flight SSME test at A2 test stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-07-16

The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) reached a historic milestone July 16, 2004, when a successful flight acceptance test was conducted at NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC). The engine tested today is the first complete engine to be tested and shipped in its entirety to Kennedy Space Center for installation on Space Shuttle Discovery for STS-114, NASA's Return to Flight mission. The engine test, which began about 3:59 p.m. CDT, ran for 520 seconds (8 minutes), the length of time it takes for the Space Shuttle to reach orbit.

J-2X engine

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-14

NASA engineers continued to collect test performance data on the new J-2X rocket engine at Stennis Space Center with a 250-second test Sept. 14. The test on the A-2 Test Stand was the 19th in a series of firings to gather critical data for continued development of the engine. The J-2X is being developed by Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. It is the first liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen rocket engine rated to carry humans into space to be developed in 40 years.

Definition study for variable cycle engine testbed engine and associated test program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vdoviak, J. W.

1978-01-01

The product/study double bypass variable cycle engine (VCE) was updated to incorporate recent improvements. The effect of these improvements on mission range and noise levels was determined. This engine design was then compared with current existing high-technology core engines in order to define a subscale testbed configuration that simulated many of the critical technology features of the product/study VCE. Detailed preliminary program plans were then developed for the design, fabrication, and static test of the selected testbed engine configuration. These plans included estimated costs and schedules for the detail design, fabrication and test of the testbed engine and the definition of a test program, test plan, schedule, instrumentation, and test stand requirements.

TMS installation at A-1 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-03

A new thrust measurement system is lifted onto the A-1 Test Stand deck at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in preparation for its installation. The new system is a state-of-the-art upgrade for the testing structure, which is being prepared for testing of next-generation rocket engines. The system was fabricated by Thrust Measurement Systems in Illinois at a cost of about $3.5 million.

The 3600 hp split-torque helicopter transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, G.

1985-01-01

Final design details of a helicopter transmission that is powered by GE twin T 700 engines each rated at 1800 hp are presented. It is demonstrated that in comparison with conventional helicopter transmission arrangements the split torque design offers: weight reduction of 15%; reduction in drive train losses of 9%; and improved reliability resulting from redundant drive paths between the two engines and the main shaft. The transmission fits within the NASA LeRC 3000 hp Test Stand and accepts the existing positions for engine inputs, main shaft, connecting drive shafts, and the cradle attachment points. One necessary change to the test stand involved gear trains of different ratio in the tail drive gearbox. Progressive uprating of engine input power from 3600 to 4500 hp twin engine rating is allowed for in the design. In this way the test transmission will provide a base for several years of analytical, research, and component development effort targeted at improving the performance and reliability of helicopter transmission.

Hydrogen-Fuel Engine Component Tests Near Completion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Gaseous hydrogen is burned off at the E1 Test Stand the night of Oct. 7 during a cold-flow test of the fuel turbopump of the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD) at NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC). The gaseous hydrogen spins the pump's turbine during the test, which was conducted to verify the pump's performance. Engineers plan one more test before sending the pump to The Boeing Co. for inspection. It will then be returned to SSC for engine system assembly. The IPD is the first reusable hydrogen-fueled advanced engine in development since the Space Shuttle Main Engine.

Hydrogen-Fuel Engine Component Tests Near Completion

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-11-05

Gaseous hydrogen is burned off at the E1 Test Stand the night of Oct. 7 during a cold-flow test of the fuel turbopump of the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD) at NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC). The gaseous hydrogen spins the pump's turbine during the test, which was conducted to verify the pump's performance. Engineers plan one more test before sending the pump to The Boeing Co. for inspection. It will then be returned to SSC for engine system assembly. The IPD is the first reusable hydrogen-fueled advanced engine in development since the Space Shuttle Main Engine.

57. Historic photo of interior of test cell at Building ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

57. Historic photo of interior of test cell at Building 202, showing test stand A with engine and D.T. support ring, February 24, 1969. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-69--3187. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

RS-25 Engines Powered to Highest Level Ever During Stennis Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-21

Operators powered NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) engine to 113 percent thrust level, the highest RS-25 power level yet achieved, for 50 seconds of a 260-second test on February 21 at Stennis Space Center. This was the third full-duration test conducted on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis this year.

RS-25 Engines Powered to Highest Level Ever during Stennis Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-21

Operators powered NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) engine to 113 percent thrust level, the highest RS-25 power level yet achieved, for 50 seconds of a 260-second test on February 21 at Stennis Space Center. This was the third full-duration test conducted on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis this year.

3. Credit JPL. Photographic copy of photograph, view south into ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. Credit JPL. Photographic copy of photograph, view south into oxidizer tank enclosure and controls on the north side of Test Stand 'C' shortly after the stand's construction in 1957 (oxidizer contents not determined). To the extreme left appear fittings for mounting an engine for tests. Note the robust stainless steel flanges and fittings necessary to contain highly pressurized corrosive chemicals. (JPL negative no. 384-1608-C, 29 August 1957) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand C, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

48. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, test ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

48. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, test stand A with zone injector engine; technician is working on equipment panel in foreground, June 3, 1966. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-66-2397. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Lighting up the Night

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-01-09

Year 2015 got off to a blazing start as NASA conducted its first test of an RS-25 rocket engine on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on Jan. 9, 2015. The 500-second test provided critical data on engine performance. RS-25 engines will help power the core stage of NASA’s new Space Launch System vehicle, being developed to carry humans deeper into space than ever before.

Marshall Space Flight Center Autumn 2005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Mike; Clar, Harry E.

2006-01-01

The East Test Area at Marshall Space Flight Center has five major test stands, each of which has two or more test positions, not counting the SSME and RD-180 engine test facilities in the West Test Area. These research and development facilities are capable of testing high pressure pumps, both fuel and oxidizer, injectors, chambers and sea-level engine assemblies, as well as simulating deep space environments in the 12, 15 and 20 foot vacuum chambers. Liquid propellant capabilities are high pressure hydrogen (liquid and gas), methane (liquid and gas), and RP-1 and high pressure LOX. Solid propellant capability includes thrust measurement and firing capability up to 1/6 scale Shuttle SRB segment. In the past six months MSFC supported multiple space access and exploration programs in the previous six months. Major programs were Space Exploration, Shuttle External Tank research, Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) development, as well as research programs for NASA and other customers. At Test Stand 115 monopropellant ignition testing was conducted on one position. At the second position multiple ignition/variable burn time cycles were conducted on Vacuum Plasma Spatter (VPS) coated injectors. Each injector received fifty cycles; the propellants were LOX Hydrogen and the ignition source was TEA. Following completion of the monopropellant test series the stand was reconfigured to support ignition testing on a LOX Methane injector system. At TS 116 a thrust stand used to test Booster Separation Motors from the Shuttle SRB system was disassembled and moved from Chemical Systems Division s Coyote Canyon plant to MSFC. The stand was reassembled and readied for BSM testing. Also, a series of tests was run on a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Low Element Density (LED) injector engine. The propellants for this engine are LOX and LH2. At TS 300 the 20 foot vacuum chamber was configured to support hydrogen testing in the Multipurpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) test article. This testing, which went 24/7 for fourteen consecutive days, demonstrated long duration storage methods intended to minimize losses of propellant in support of the Space Exploration Initiative. The facility is being converted to support similar research using liquid methane. The 12 foot chamber at TS 300 was used to create ascent profiles (both heat and altitude effects) for foam panel testing in support of the Shuttle External Tank program. At TS 500, one position was in build-up to support ATK Thiokol research into the gas dynamics associated with high pressure flow across the propellant joint in segmented solid rocket motors. The testing involves flowing high pressure gas through a 24 motor case. Initial tests will be conducted with simulated aluminum grain, followed by tests using actual propellant. The second position at TS 500 has been in build-up for testing a LOX methane thruster manufactured by KT Engineering. At the Solid Propulsion Test Area (SPTA), the first dual segment 24 solid rocket motor was fired for ATK Thiokol in support of the RSRM program. A new axial thrust measurement stand was designed and fabricated for this testing. Real Time Radiography (RTR) will be deployed to examine nozzle erosion on the next dual segment motor.

NASA's Space Launch System Takes Shape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Askins, Bruce; Robinson, Kimberly F.

2017-01-01

Major hardware and software for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) began rolling off assembly lines in 2016, setting the stage for critical testing in 2017 and the launch of a major new capability for deep space human exploration. SLS continues to pursue a 2018 first launch of Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1). At NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, LA, Boeing completed welding of structural test and flight liquid hydrogen tanks, and engine sections. Test stands for core stage structural tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. neared completion. The B2 test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center, MS, completed major structural renovation to support core stage green run testing in 2018. Orbital ATK successfully test fired its second qualification solid rocket motor in the Utah desert and began casting the motor segments for EM-1. Aerojet Rocketdyne completed its series of test firings to adapt the heritage RS-25 engine to SLS performance requirements. Production is under way on the first five new engine controllers. NASA also signed a contract with Aerojet Rocketdyne for propulsion of the RL10 engines for the Exploration Upper Stage. United Launch Alliance delivered the structural test article for the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage to MSFC for tests and construction was under way on the flight stage. Flight software testing at MSFC, including power quality and command and data handling, was completed. Substantial progress is planned for 2017. Liquid oxygen tank production will be completed at Michoud. Structural testing at Marshall will get under way. RS-25 hotfire testing will verify the new engine controllers. Core stage horizontal integration will begin. The core stage pathfinder mockup will arrive at the B2 test stand for fit checks and tests. EUS will complete preliminary design review. This paper will discuss the technical and programmatic successes and challenges of 2016 and look ahead to plans for 2017.

Testing to Transition the J-2X from Paper to Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byrd, Tom

2010-01-01

The J-2X Upper Stage Engine (USE) will be the first new human-rated upper stage engine since the Apollo program of the 1960s. It is designed to carry the Ares I and Ares V into orbit and send the Ares V to the Moon as part of NASA's Constellation Program. This paper will provide an overview of progress on the design, testing, and manufacturing of this new engine in 2009 and 2010. The J-2X embodies the program goals of basing the design on proven technology and experience and seeking commonality between the Ares vehicles as a way to minimize risk, shorten development times, and live within current budget constraints. It is based on the proven J-2 engine used on the Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles. The prime contractor for the J-2X is Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), which is under a design, development, test, and engineering (DDT&E) contract covering the period from June 2006 through September 2014. For Ares I, the J-2X will provide engine start at approximately 190,000 feet, operate roughly 500 seconds, and shut down. For Ares V, the J-2X will start at roughly 190,000 feet to place the Earth departure stage (EDS) in orbit, shut down and loiter for up to five days, re-start on command and operate for roughly 300 seconds at its secondary power level to perform trans lunar injection (TLI), followed by final engine shutdown. The J-2X development effort focuses on four key areas: early risk mitigation, design risk mitigation, component and subassembly testing, and engine system testing. Following that plan, the J-2X successfully completed its critical design review (CDR) in 2008, and it has made significant progress in 2009 and 2010 in moving from the drawing board to the machine shop and test stand. Post-CDR manufacturing is well under way, including PWR in-house and vendor hardware. In addition, a wide range of component and sub-component tests have been completed, and more component tests are planned. Testing includes heritage powerpack, turbopump inducer water flow, turbine air flow, turbopump seal testing, main injector and gas generator, injector testing, augmented spark igniter testing, nozzle side loads cold flow testing, nozzle extension film cooling flow testing, control system testing with hardware in the loop, and nozzle extension emissivity coating tests. In parallel with hardware manufacturing, work is progressing on the new A-3 test stand to support full duration altitude testing. The Stennis A-2 test stand is scheduled to be turned over to the Constellation Program in September 2010 to be modified for J-2X testing also. As the structural steel was rising on the A-3 stand, work was under way in the nearby E complex on the chemical steam generator and subscale diffuser concepts to be used to evacuate the A-3 test cell and simulate altitude conditions.

40 CFR 63.9335 - How do I monitor and collect data to demonstrate continuous compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Cells/Stands Continuous Compliance Requirements § 63.9335 How do I monitor and collect data to... continuous operation at all times the engine test cell/stand is operating. (b) Do not use data recorded...

40 CFR 63.9335 - How do I monitor and collect data to demonstrate continuous compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Cells/Stands Continuous Compliance Requirements § 63.9335 How do I monitor and collect data to... continuous operation at all times the engine test cell/stand is operating. (b) Do not use data recorded...

40 CFR 63.9335 - How do I monitor and collect data to demonstrate continuous compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Cells/Stands Continuous Compliance Requirements § 63.9335 How do I monitor and collect data to... continuous operation at all times the engine test cell/stand is operating. (b) Do not use data recorded...

40 CFR 63.9335 - How do I monitor and collect data to demonstrate continuous compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Cells/Stands Continuous Compliance Requirements § 63.9335 How do I monitor and collect data to... continuous operation at all times the engine test cell/stand is operating. (b) Do not use data recorded...

40 CFR 63.9335 - How do I monitor and collect data to demonstrate continuous compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Cells/Stands Continuous Compliance Requirements § 63.9335 How do I monitor and collect data to... continuous operation at all times the engine test cell/stand is operating. (b) Do not use data recorded...

Video File - RS-25 Engine Test 2017-08-30

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-30

NASA engineers closed a summer of hot fire testing Aug. 30 for flight controllers on RS-25 engines that will help power the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket being built to carry astronauts to deep-space destinations, including Mars. The 500-second hot fire an RS-25 engine flight controller unit on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi marked another step toward the nation’s return to human deep-space exploration missions.

NEO Test Stand Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pike, Cody J.

2015-01-01

A project within SwampWorks is building a test stand to hold regolith to study how dust is ejected when exposed to the hot exhaust plume of a rocket engine. The test stand needs to be analyzed, finalized, and fabrication drawings generated to move forward. Modifications of the test stand assembly were made with Creo 2 modeling software. Structural analysis calculations were developed by hand to confirm if the structure will hold the expected loads while optimizing support positions. These calculations when iterated through MatLab demonstrated the optimized position of the vertical support to be 98'' from the far end of the stand. All remaining deflections were shown to be under the 0.6'' requirement and internal stresses to meet NASA Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Safety Standards. Though at the time of writing, fabrication drawings have yet to be generated, but are expected shortly after.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-08-12

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built to the east was a newly constructed Pump House. Its function was to provide water to the stand to prevent melting damage during testing. The water was sprayed through small holes in the stand’s 1900 ton flame deflector at the rate of 320,000 gallons per minute. In this photo, taken August 12, 1963, the S-IC stand has received some of its internal components. Directly in the center is the framework that houses the flame deflector. The F-1 test stand, designed and built to test a single F-1 engine, can be seen on the left side of the photo.

53. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

53. Historic photo of Building 202 test cell interior, with engine mounted on test stand A, showing surrounding fuel and oxidant delivery systems and instruments, May 18, 1967. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-67-1739. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Development Status of the NASA MC-1 (Fastrac) Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, Richard O.; Olive, Tim; Turner, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The MC-1 (formerly known as the Fastrac 60K) Engine is being developed for the X-34 technology demonstrator vehicle. It is a pump-fed liquid rocket engine with fixed thrust operating at one rated power level of 60,000 lbf vacuum thrust using a 15:1 area ratio nozzle (slightly higher for the 30:1 flight nozzle). Engine system development testing of the MC-1 has been ongoing since 24 Oct 1998. To date, 48 tests have been conducted on three engines using three separate test stands. This paper will provide some details of the engine, the tests conducted, and the lessons learned to date.

Rehabilitation of the Rocket Vehicle Integration Test Stand at Edwards Air Force Base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Daniel S.; Ray, Ronald J.; Phillips, Paul

2005-01-01

Since initial use in 1958 for the X-15 rocket-powered research airplane, the Rocket Engine Test Facility has proven essential for testing and servicing rocket-powered vehicles at Edwards Air Force Base. For almost two decades, several successful flight-test programs utilized the capability of this facility. The Department of Defense has recently demonstrated a renewed interest in propulsion technology development with the establishment of the National Aerospace Initiative. More recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is undergoing a transformation to realign the organization, focusing on the Vision for Space Exploration. These initiatives provide a clear indication that a very capable ground-test stand at Edwards Air Force Base will be beneficial to support the testing of future access-to-space vehicles. To meet the demand of full integration testing of rocket-powered vehicles, the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, the Air Force Flight Test Center, and the Air Force Research Laboratory have combined their resources in an effort to restore and upgrade the original X-15 Rocket Engine Test Facility to become the new Rocket Vehicle Integration Test Stand. This report describes the history of the X-15 Rocket Engine Test Facility, discusses the current status of the facility, and summarizes recent efforts to rehabilitate the facility to support potential access-to-space flight-test programs. A summary of the capabilities of the facility is presented and other important issues are discussed.

6. Credit GE. Photographic copy of photograph, view looking east ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. Credit GE. Photographic copy of photograph, view looking east at Test Stand 'A' during test firing of a liquid-fueled Corporal engine. Structure in immediate left foreground of view appears to be a propellant tank enclosure (JPL negative no. 383-1225, July 1945); compare HAER CA-163-A-7 for enclosure. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand A, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Parametric tests of a traction drive retrofitted to an automotive gas turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohn, D. A.; Lowenthal, S. H.; Anderson, N. E.

1980-01-01

The results of a test program to retrofit a high performance fixed ratio Nasvytis Multiroller Traction Drive in place of a helical gear set to a gas turbine engine are presented. Parametric tests up to a maximum engine power turbine speed of 45,500 rpm and to a power level of 11 kW were conducted. Comparisons were made to similar drives that were parametrically tested on a back-to-back test stand. The drive showed good compatibility with the gas turbine engine. Specific fuel consumption of the engine with the traction drive speed reducer installed was comparable to the original helical gearset equipped engine.

40 CFR 63.9345 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of the notifications in §§ 63.8(e), 63.8(f)(4) and (6), and 63.9(b), (g)(1), (g)(2) and (h) that apply to you by the dates specified. (b) If you own or operate a new or reconstructed test cell/stand... (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Engine Test Cells/Stands...

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-10-01

This is a ground level view of Test Stand 300 at the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center. Test Stand 300 was constructed in 1964 as a gas generator and heat exchanger test facility to support the Saturn/Apollo Program. Deep-space simulation was provided by a 1960 modification that added a 20-ft thermal vacuum chamber and a 1981 modification that added a 12-ft vacuum chamber. The facility was again modified in 1989 when 3-ft and 15-ft diameter chambers were added to support Space Station and technology programs. This multiposition test stand is used to test a wide range of rocket engine components, systems, and subsystems. It has the capability to simulate launch thermal and pressure profiles. Test Stand 300 was designed for testing solid rocket booster (SRB) insulation panels and components, super-insulated tanks, external tank (ET) insulation panels and components, Space Shuttle components, solid rocket motor materials, and advanced solid rocket motor materials.

AJ26 engine test

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-12-17

John C. Stennis Space Center engineers conduct a 55-second test fire of Aerojet's liquid-fuel AJ26 rocket engine that will power the first stage of Orbital Sciences Corporation's Taurus II space launch vehicle. The Dec. 17, 2010 test was conducted on the E-1 Test Stand at Stennis in support of NASA's Commercial Transportation Services partnerships to enable commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. Orbital is under contract with NASA to provide eight cargo missions to the space station through 2015.

77 FR 20848 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Clean Air Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

... labeled marine diesel engines in their respective operations. The Consent Decree requires Settling...-ignition engine manufacturer, and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, a marine vessel manufacturer... Selective Catalytic Reduction emissions control technology at a marine engine test stand operated at...

High Pressure Industrial Water Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

In conjunction with Space Shuttle Main Engine testing at Stennis, the Nordberg Water Pumps at the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility provide water for cooling the flame deflectors at the test stands during test firings.

Second Stage (S-II) Arrives at Marshall Space Flight Center For Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The business end of a Second Stage (S-II) slowly emerges from the shipping container as workers prepare to transport the Saturn V component to the testing facility at MSFC. The Second Stage (S-II) underwent vibration and engine firing tests. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

40 CFR 86.312-79 - Dynamometer and engine equipment specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... test stand and other instruments for measurement of power output shall be accurate to within 2 percent... system must have a single tail pipe. For engines designed for a dual exhaust system, a standard or...

Control Performance of General Electric Fuel and Torque Regulator Operating on T31-3 Turbine-Propeller Engine in Sea-Level Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oppenheimer, Frank L.; Lazar, James

1951-01-01

A .General Electric fuel and torque regulator was tested in conjunction with a T31-3 turbine-propeller engine in the sea-level static test stand at the NACA Lewis laboratory. The engine and control were operated over the entire speed range: 11,000 rpm, nominal flight idle, to 13,000 rpm, full power. Steady-state and transient data were recorded and are presented with a description of the four control loops being used in the system. Results of this investigation indicated that single-lever control operation was satisfactory under conditions of test. Transient data presented showed that turbine-outlet temperature did overshoot maximum operating value on acceleration but that the time duration of overshoot did not exceed approximately 1 second. This temperature limiting resulted from a control on fuel flow as a function of engine speed. Speed and torque first reached their desired values 0.4 second from the time of change in power-setting lever position. Maximum speed overshoot was 3 percent.

Mississippi lieutenant governor visits Stennis

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-01

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (left) stands with Mississippi Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant at the A-3 Test Stand construction site during an Oct. 1 visit by the state official. During his tour, Bryant was updated on construction of the first large test stand at Stennis since the 1960s. The A-3 stand will be used to conduct simulated high-altitude testing on the next generation of rocket engines that will take humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. In addition to touring Stennis facilities, Bryant visited the INFINITY Science Center construction site, where he was updated on work under way to construct a 72,000-square-foot facility that will showcase the science underpinning the missions of NASA and resident agencies at Stennis.

5. PILOTS KNIGHT, RUSHWORTH, ENGLE, THOMPSON, DANA, AND McKAY STANDING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. PILOTS KNIGHT, RUSHWORTH, ENGLE, THOMPSON, DANA, AND McKAY STANDING AT THE NOSE OF X-15 NO. 66671. - Edwards Air Force Base, X-15 Engine Test Complex, Rogers Dry Lake, east of runway between North Base & South Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-07-28

This photograph depicts a view of the test firing of all five F-1 engines for the Saturn V S-IC test stage at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The S-IC stage is the first stage, or booster, of a 364-foot long rocket that ultimately took astronauts to the Moon. Operating at maximum power, all five of the engines produced 7,500,000 pounds of thrust. The S-IC Static Test Stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level, and was required to hold down the brute force of the 7,500,000-pound thrust. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the up position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. When the Saturn V S-IC first stage was placed upright in the stand , the five F-1 engine nozzles pointed downward on a 1,900-ton, water-cooled deflector. To prevent melting damage, water was sprayed through small holes in the deflector at the rate 320,000 gallons per minutes

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-05-01

This photograph depicts a view of the test firing of all five F-1 engines for the Saturn V S-IC test stage at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The S-IC stage is the first stage, or booster, of a 364-foot long rocket that ultimately took astronauts to the Moon. Operating at maximum power, all five of the engines produced 7,500,000 pounds of thrust. The S-IC Static Test Stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level, and was required to hold down the brute force of the 7,500,000-pound thrust. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the up position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. When the Saturn V S-IC first stage was placed upright in the stand , the five F-1 engine nozzles pointed downward on a 1,900-ton, water-cooled deflector. To prevent melting damage, water was sprayed through small holes in the deflector at the rate 320,000 gallons per minutes.

Calculations of economy of 18-cylinder radial aircraft engine with exhaust-gas turbine geared to the crankshaft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hannum, Richard W; Zimmerman, Richard H

1945-01-01

Calculations based on dynamometer test-stand data obtained on an 18-cylinder radial engine were made to determine the improvement in fuel consumption that can be obtained at various altitudes by gearing an exhaust-gas turbine to the engine crankshaft in order to increase the engine-shaft work.

Evaluation of some candidate materials for automobile thermal reactors in engine-dynamometer screening tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oldrieve, R. E.

1971-01-01

Fourteen materials were evaluated in engine screening tests on full-size thermal reactors for automobile engine pollution control systems. Cyclic test-stand engine operation provided 2 hours at 1040 C and a 20-minute air-cool to 70 C each test cycle. Each reactor material was exposed to 83 cycles in 200 hours of engine testing. On the basis of resistance to oxidation and distortion, the best materials included two ferritic iron alloys (Ge 1541 and Armco 18S/R), several commercial oxidation-resistant coatings on AlSl 651 (19-9 DL), and possibly uncoated AISI 310. The best commercial coatings were Cr-Al, Ni-Cr, and a glass ceramic.

NASA Tests 2nd RS-25 Flight Engine for Space Launch System

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-16

On Jan. 16, 2018, engineers at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi conducted a certification test of another RS-25 engine flight controller on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center. The 365-second, full-duration test came a month after the space agency capped a year of RS-25 testing with a flight controller test in mid-December. For the “green run” test the flight controller was installed on RS-25 developmental engine E0528 and fired just as during an actual launch. Once certified, the flight controller will be removed and installed on a flight engine for use by NASA’s new deep-space rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS).

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

The business end of a Second Stage (S-II) slowly emerges from the shipping container as workers prepare to transport the Saturn V component to the testing facility at MSFC. The Second Stage (S-II) underwent vibration and engine firing tests. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Pathfinder

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-06-09

A 40 K Fastrac II duration test performed at Marshall Test Stand 116. The purpose of this test was to gauge the length of time between contact of TEA (Triethylenealuminum) and LOX (liquid oxygen) as an ignitor for the Fastrac engine.

NE TARDIS Banner Event

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA Kennedy Space Center's Engineering Directorate held a banner signing event in the Prototype Development Laboratory to mark the successful delivery of a liquid oxygen test tank, called Tardis. Engineers and technicians worked together to develop the tank and build it to support cryogenic testing at Johnson Space Center's White Stands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The 12-foot-tall, 3,810-pound aluminum tank will be shipped to White Sands for testing.

Analysis of Flame Deflector Spray Nozzles in Rocket Engine Test Stands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sachdev, Jai S.; Ahuja, Vineet; Hosangadi, Ashvin; Allgood, Daniel C.

2010-01-01

The development of a unified tightly coupled multi-phase computational framework is described for the analysis and design of cooling spray nozzle configurations on the flame deflector in rocket engine test stands. An Eulerian formulation is used to model the disperse phase and is coupled to the gas-phase equations through momentum and heat transfer as well as phase change. The phase change formulation is modeled according to a modified form of the Hertz-Knudsen equation. Various simple test cases are presented to verify the validity of the numerical framework. The ability of the methodology to accurately predict the temperature load on the flame deflector is demonstrated though application to an actual sub-scale test facility. The CFD simulation was able to reproduce the result of the test-firing, showing that the spray nozzle configuration provided insufficient amount of cooling.

40 K Fastrac II Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

A 40 K Fastrac II duration test performed at Marshall Test Stand 116. The purpose of this test was to gauge the length of time between contact of TEA (Triethylenealuminum) and LOX (liquid oxygen) as an ignitor for the Fastrac engine.

Large-scale generic test stand for testing of multiple configurations of air filters utilizing a range of particle size distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giffin, Paxton K.; Parsons, Michael S.; Unz, Ronald J.; Waggoner, Charles A.

2012-05-01

The Institute for Clean Energy Technology (ICET) at Mississippi State University has developed a test stand capable of lifecycle testing of high efficiency particulate air filters and other filters specified in American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment (AG-1) filters. The test stand is currently equipped to test AG-1 Section FK radial flow filters, and expansion is currently underway to increase testing capabilities for other types of AG-1 filters. The test stand is capable of producing differential pressures of 12.45 kPa (50 in. w.c.) at volumetric air flow rates up to 113.3 m3/min (4000 CFM). Testing is performed at elevated and ambient conditions for temperature and relative humidity. Current testing utilizes three challenge aerosols: carbon black, alumina, and Arizona road dust (A1-Ultrafine). Each aerosol has a different mass median diameter to test loading over a wide range of particles sizes. The test stand is designed to monitor and maintain relative humidity and temperature to required specifications. Instrumentation is implemented on the upstream and downstream sections of the test stand as well as on the filter housing itself. Representative data are presented herein illustrating the test stand's capabilities. Digital images of the filter pack collected during and after testing is displayed after the representative data are discussed. In conclusion, the ICET test stand with AG-1 filter testing capabilities has been developed and hurdles such as test parameter stability and design flexibility overcome.

A-3 steel work completed

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-09

Stennis Space Center engineers celebrated a key milestone in construction of the A-3 Test Stand on April 9 - completion of structural steel work. Workers with Lafayette (La.) Steel Erector Inc. placed the last structural steel beam atop the stand during a noon ceremony attended by more than 100 workers and guests.

A-3 steel work completed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Stennis Space Center engineers celebrated a key milestone in construction of the A-3 Test Stand on April 9 - completion of structural steel work. Workers with Lafayette (La.) Steel Erector Inc. placed the last structural steel beam atop the stand during a noon ceremony attended by more than 100 workers and guests.

NASA Concludes Summer of RS-25 Testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-30

NASA engineers closed a summer of hot fire testing Aug. 30 for flight controllers on RS-25 engines that will help power the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket being built to carry astronauts to deep-space destinations, including Mars. The 500-second hot fire an RS-25 engine flight controller unit on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi marked another step toward the nation’s return to human deep-space exploration missions.

SSME testing technology at the John C. Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kynard, Mike; Dill, Glenn

1991-01-01

An effective capability for testing the Space Shuttle Main Engine is described. The test complex utilizes a number of sophisticated test stands, test support facilities, and control centers to conduct development testing and flight acceptance testing at both nominal and off-nominal conditions.

Testing a new engine controller system for the RS-25

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-25

Engineers conduct the third in a series of RS-25 flight controller tests on July 25, 2017, for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The more than 8 1/2 minute test on the A-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi signaled another step toward launch of NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS rocket, powered by four RS-25 engines, along with the Orion spacecraft will take astronauts on a new era of exploration beyond Earth’s orbit into deep space.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-09-01

This photograph shows stacking of the left side of the solid rocket booster (SRB) segments in the Dynamic Test Stand at the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Staging shown here are the aft skirt, aft segment, and aft center segment. The SRB was attached to the external tank (ET) and then the orbiter later for the Mated Vertical Ground Vibration Test (MVGVT), that resumed in October 1978. The stacking of a complete Shuttle in the Dynamic Test Stand allowed test engineers to perform ground vibration testing on the Shuttle in its liftoff configuration. The purpose of the MVGVT is to verify that the Space Shuttle would perform as predicted during launch. The platforms inside the Dynamic Test Stand were modified to accommodate two SRB's to which the ET was attached.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-09-01

This photograph shows the left side of the solid rocket booster (SRB) segment as it awaits being mated to the nose cone and forward skirt in the Dynamic Test Stand at the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The SRB would be attached to the external tank (ET) and then the orbiter later for the Mated Vertical Ground Vibration Test (MVGVT), that resumed in October 1978. The stacking of a complete Shuttle in the Dynamic Test Stand allowed test engineers to perform ground vibration testing on the Shuttle in its liftoff configuration. The purpose of the MVGVT was to verify that the Space Shuttle would perform as predicted during launch. The platforms inside the Dynamic Test Stand were modified to accommodate two SRB's to which the ET was attached.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-01-01

The static firing of a Saturn F-1 engine at the Marshall Space Flight Center's Static Test Stand. The F-1 engine is a single-start, 1,5000,000 Lb fixed-thrust, bipropellant rocket system. The engine uses liquid oxygen as the oxidizer and RP-1 (kerosene) as fuel. The five-engine cluster used on the first stage of the Saturn V produces 7,500,000 lbs of thrust.

Design and evaluation of thrust vectored nozzles using a multicomponent thrust stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Thomas W.; Blattner, Ernest W.; Stagner, Robert E.; Contreras, Juanita; Lencioni, Dennis; Mcintosh, Greg

1990-01-01

Future aircraft with the capability of short takeoff and landing, and improved maneuverability especially in the post-stall flight regime will incorporate exhaust nozzles which can be thrust vectored. In order to conduct thrust vector research in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cal Poly, a program was planned with two objectives; design and construct a multicomponent thrust stand for the specific purpose of measuring nozzle thrust vectors; and to provide quality low moisture air to the thrust stand for cold flow nozzle tests. The design and fabrication of the six-component thrust stand was completed. Detailed evaluation tests of the thrust stand will continue upon the receipt of one signal conditioning option (-702) for the Fluke Data Acquisition System. Preliminary design of thrust nozzles with air supply plenums were completed. The air supply was analyzed with regard to head loss. Initial flow visualization tests were conducted using dual water jets.

An RL10A-3-3A rocket engine model using the rocket engine transient simulator (ROCETS) software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Binder, Michael

1993-01-01

Steady-state and transient computer models of the RL10A-3-3A rocket engine have been created using the Rocket Engine Transient Simulation (ROCETS) code. These models were created for several purposes. The RL10 engine is a critical component of past, present, and future space missions; the model will give NASA an in-house capability to simulate the performance of the engine under various operating conditions and mission profiles. The RL10 simulation activity is also an opportunity to further validate the ROCETS program. The ROCETS code is an important tool for modeling rocket engine systems at NASA Lewis. ROCETS provides a modular and general framework for simulating the steady-state and transient behavior of any desired propulsion system. Although the ROCETS code is being used in a number of different analysis and design projects within NASA, it has not been extensively validated for any system using actual test data. The RL10A-3-3A has a ten year history of test and flight applications; it should provide sufficient data to validate the ROCETS program capability. The ROCETS models of the RL10 system were created using design information provided by Pratt & Whitney, the engine manufacturer. These models are in the process of being validated using test-stand and flight data. This paper includes a brief description of the models and comparison of preliminary simulation output against flight and test-stand data.

A-1 modification work under way

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Phil Schemanski of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne removes equipment inside the thrust drum on the A-1 Test Stand as part of a comprehensive modification project to prepare for testing the new J-2X engine.

DFVLR rotorcraft: Construction and engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, H. J.

1984-01-01

A helicopter rotor test stand is described. Full scale helicopter components can be tested such as hingeless fiberglass rotors and two blade rotor with flapping hinge, or a hybrid system. The facility is used to test stability, rotor components and downwind components.

Combustion Science

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-04-01

This photograph depicts one of over thirty tests conducted on the Vortex Combustion Chamber Engine at Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) test stand 115, a joint effort between NASA's MSFC and the U.S. Army AMCOM of Redstone Arsenal. The engine tests were conducted to evaluate an irnovative, "self-cooled", vortex combustion chamber, which relies on tangentially injected propellants from the chamber wall producing centrifugal forces that keep the relatively cold liquid propellants near the wall.

Testing of Composite Fan Vanes With Erosion-Resistant Coating Accelerated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, Cheryl L.; Sutter, James K.; Otten, Kim D.; Samorezov, Sergey; Perusek, Gail P.

2004-01-01

The high-cycle fatigue of composite stator vanes provided an accelerated life-state prior to insertion in a test stand engine. The accelerated testing was performed in the Structural Dynamics Laboratory at the NASA Glenn Research Center under the guidance of Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch personnel. Previous research on fixturing and test procedures developed at Glenn determined that engine vibratory conditions could be simulated for polymer matrix composite vanes by using the excitation of a combined slip table and electrodynamic shaker in Glenn's Structural Dynamics Laboratory. Bench-top testing gave researchers the confidence to test the coated vanes in a full-scale engine test.

STS-126 crew visit

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-13

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (center) stands with astronauts Christopher Ferguson (right) and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper in front of the A-2 Test Stand during the space shuttle crew members' visit to NASA's rocket engine testing facility Jan. 13. During their visit, Ferguson and Stefanyshyn-Piper reported on the STS-126 space shuttle delivery and servicing mission to the International Space Station. Ferguson served as commander of the mission. Stefanyshyn-Piper served as a mission specialist.

STS-126 crew visit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (center) stands with astronauts Christopher Ferguson (right) and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper in front of the A-2 Test Stand during the space shuttle crew members' visit to NASA's rocket engine testing facility Jan. 13. During their visit, Ferguson and Stefanyshyn-Piper reported on the STS-126 space shuttle delivery and servicing mission to the International Space Station. Ferguson served as commander of the mission. Stefanyshyn-Piper served as a mission specialist.

Allison V–1710 Engine on a Dynamotor Stand in the Engine Research Building

NASA Image and Video Library

1943-03-21

The first research assignment specifically created for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ (NACA) new Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory was the integration of a supercharger into the Allison V–1710 engine. The military was relying on the liquid-cooled V–1710 to power several types of World War II fighter aircraft and wanted to improve the engine's speed and altitude performance. Superchargers forced additional airflow into the combustion chamber, which increased the engine’s performance resulting in greater altitudes and speeds. They also generated excess heat that affected the engine cylinders, oil, and fuel. In 1943 the military tasked the new Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory to integrate the supercharger, improve the cooling system, and remedy associated engine knock. Three Allison engines were provided to the laboratory’s research divisions. One group was tasked with improving the supercharger performance, another analyzed the effect of the increased heat on knock in the fuel, one was responsible for improving the cooling system, and another would install the new components on the engine with minimal drag penalties. The modified engines were installed on this 2000-horsepower dynamotor stand in a test cell within the Engine Research Building. The researchers could run the engine at different temperatures, fuel-air ratios, and speeds. When the modifications were complete, the improved V–1710 was flight tested on a P–63A Kingcobra loaned to the NACA for this project.

Improved Testing Capability and Adaptability Through the Use of Wireless Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solano, Wanda M.

2003-01-01

From the first Saturn V rocket booster (S-II-T) testing in 1966 and the routine Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) testing beginning in 1975, to more recent test programs such as the X-33 Aerospike Engine, the Integrated Powerhead Development (IPD) program, and the Hybrid Sounding Rocket (HYSR), Stennis Space Center (SSC) continues to be a premier location for conducting large-scale testing. Central to each test program is the capability for sensor systems to deliver reliable measurements and high quality data, while also providing a means to monitor the test stand area to the highest degree of safety and sustainability. Sensor wiring is routed along piping and through cable trenches, making its way from the engine test area, through the test stand area and to the signal conditioning building before final transfer to the test control center. When sensor requirements lie outside the reach of the routine sensor cable routing, the use of wireless sensor networks becomes particularly attractive due to their versatility and ease of installation. As part of an on-going effort to enhance the testing capabilities of Stennis Space Center, the Test Technology and Development group has found numerous applications for its sensor-adaptable wireless sensor suite. While not intended for critical engine measurements or control loops, in-house hardware and software development of the sensor suite can provide improved testing capability for a range of applications including the safety monitoring of propellant storage barrels and as an experimental test-bed for embedded health monitoring paradigms.

Conversion of a micro, glow-ignition, two-stroke engine from nitromethane-methanol blend fuel to military jet propellant (JP-8)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiegand, Andrew L.

The goal of the thesis "Conversion of a Micro, Glow-Ignition, Two-Stroke Engine from Nitromethane-Methanol Blend Fuel to Military Jet Propellant (JP-8)" was to demonstrate the ability to operate a small engine on JP-8 and was completed in two phases. The first phase included choosing, developing a test stand for, and baseline testing a nitromethane-methanol-fueled engine. The chosen engine was an 11.5 cc, glow-ignition, two-stroke engine designed for remote-controlled helicopters. A micro engine test stand was developed to load and motor the engine. Instrumentation specific to the low flow rates and high speeds of the micro engine was developed and used to document engine behavior. The second phase included converting the engine to operate on JP-8, completing JP-8-fueled steady-state testing, and comparing the performance of the JP-8-fueled engine to the nitromethane-methanol-fueled engine. The conversion was accomplished through a novel crankcase heating method; by heating the crankcase for an extended period of time, a flammable fuel-air mixture was generated in the crankcase scavenged engine, which greatly improved starting times. To aid in starting and steady-state operation, yttrium-zirconia impregnated resin (i.e. ceramic coating) was applied to the combustion surfaces. This also improved the starting times of the JP-8-fueled engine and ultimately allowed for a 34-second starting time. Finally, the steady-state data from both the nitromethane-methanol and JP-8-fueled micro engine were compared. The JP-8-fueled engine showed signs of increased engine friction while having higher indicated fuel conversion efficiency and a higher overall system efficiency. The minimal ability of JP-8 to cool the engine via evaporative effects, however, created the necessity of increased cooling air flow. The conclusion reached was that JP-8-fueled micro engines could be viable in application, but not without additional research being conducted on combustion phenomenon and cooling requirements.

14 CFR 35.40 - Functional test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... representative engine on a test stand or on an airplane. The propeller must complete these tests without evidence... STANDARDS: PROPELLERS Tests and Inspections § 35.40 Functional test. The variable-pitch propeller system must be subjected to the applicable functional tests of this section. The same propeller system used in...

14 CFR 35.40 - Functional test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... representative engine on a test stand or on an airplane. The propeller must complete these tests without evidence... STANDARDS: PROPELLERS Tests and Inspections § 35.40 Functional test. The variable-pitch propeller system must be subjected to the applicable functional tests of this section. The same propeller system used in...

Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Military Testing Association Held in San Diego, California on 26-29 October 1992. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-29

Blend engine stator vane K 620 Inspect engines removed from storag G 253 Blend engine turbine air seals K 621 Inspect fuel manifold test stands * 254...Assessment and Human Learning Skills G. F Fullerton D. P. Hunt 497 How Personnel Testing is Adapting to a Changing Air Force T S. Ziebell 503 Problems of...of Intelligence Among Navy and Air Force Personnel R. F Dillon 526 Session 25 Measuring Martial Attitudes: The Military Ethos Scale (MES) in Retrcspect

NE TARDIS Banner Event

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA Kennedy Space Center's Engineering Director Pat Simpkins signs the banner marking the successful delivery of a liquid oxygen test tank, called Tardis, in the Prototype Development Laboratory at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Engineers and technicians worked together to develop the tank and build it to support cryogenic testing at Johnson Space Center's White Stands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The 12-foot-tall, 3,810-pound aluminum tank will be shipped to White Sands for testing.

Research Technology

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-16

A team of engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has designed, fabricated, and tested the first solar thermal engine, a non-chemical rocket that produces lower thrust but has better thrust efficiency than the chemical combustion engines. This segmented array of mirrors is the solar concentrator test stand at MSFC for firing the thermal propulsion engines. The 144 mirrors are combined to form an 18-foot diameter array concentrator. The mirror segments are aluminum hexagons that have the reflective surface cut into it by a diamond turning machine, which is developed by MSFC Space Optics Manufacturing Technology Center.

Saturn V Second Stage (S-II) Ready for Static Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1965-01-01

Two workers are dwarfed by the five J-2 engines of the Saturn V second stage (S-II) as they make final inspections prior to a static test firing by North American Space Division. These five hydrogen -fueled engines produced one million pounds of thrust, and placed the Apollo spacecraft into earth orbit before departing for the moon. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Fluctuating pressures on fan blades of a turbofan engine: Static and wind-tunnel investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenster, J. A.

1982-01-01

To investigate the fan noise generated from turbofan engines, miniature pressure transducers were used to measure the fluctuating pressure on the fan blades of a JT15D engine. Tests were conducted with the engine operating on an outdoor test stand and in a wind tunnel. It was found that a potential flow interaction between the fan blades and six, large support struts in the bypass duct is a dominant noise source in the JT15D engine. Effects of varying fan speed and the forward speed on the blade pressure are also presented.

NASA Marches on with Test of RS-25 Engine for New Space Launch System

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-07-29

NASA engineers conducted a successful developmental test of RS-25 rocket engine No. 0528 July 29, 2016, to collect critical performance data for the most powerful rocket in the world – the Space Launch System (SLS). The engine roared to life for a full 650-second test on the A-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, marking another step forward in development of the SLS, which will launch humans deeper into space than ever before, including on the journey to Mars. Four RS-25 engines, joined with a pair of solid rocket boosters, will power the SLS core stage at launch. The RS-25 engines used on the first four SLS flights are former space shuttle main engines, modified to operate at a higher performance level and with a new engine controller, which allows communication between the vehicle and engine.

Green Propellant Test Capabilities of the Altitude Combustion Stand at the NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kubiak, Jonathan M.; Arnett, Lori A.

2016-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is committed to providing simulated altitude rocket test capabilities to NASA programs, other government agencies, private industry partners, and academic partners. A primary facility to support those needs is the Altitude Combustion Stand (ACS). ACS provides the capability to test combustion components at a simulated altitude up to 100,000 ft. (approx.0.2 psia/10 Torr) through a nitrogen-driven ejector system. The facility is equipped with an axial thrust stand, gaseous and cryogenic liquid propellant feed systems, data acquisition system with up to 1000 Hz recording, and automated facility control system. Propellant capabilities include gaseous and liquid hydrogen, gaseous and liquid oxygen, and liquid methane. A water-cooled diffuser, exhaust spray cooling chamber, and multi-stage ejector systems can enable run times up to 180 seconds to 16 minutes. The system can accommodate engines up to 2000-lbf thrust, liquid propellant supply pressures up to 1800 psia, and test at the component level. Engines can also be fired at sea level if needed. The NASA GRC is in the process of modifying ACS capabilities to enable the testing of green propellant (GP) thrusters and components. Green propellants are actively being explored throughout government and industry as a non-toxic replacement to hydrazine monopropellants for applications such as reaction control systems or small spacecraft main propulsion systems. These propellants offer increased performance and cost savings over hydrazine. The modification of ACS is intended to enable testing of a wide range of green propellant engines for research and qualification-like testing applications. Once complete, ACS will have the capability to test green propellant engines up to 880 N in thrust, thermally condition the green propellants, provide test durations up to 60 minutes depending on thrust class, provide high speed control and data acquisition, as well as provide advanced imaging and diagnostics such as infrared (IR) imaging.

Test stand for Titan 34D SRM static firing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glozman, Vladimir; Shipway, George

1988-01-01

An existing liquid engine test stand at the AF Astronautics Laboratory was refurbished and extensively modified to accommodate the static firing of the Titan 34D solid rocket motor (SRM) in the vertical nozzle down orientation. The main load restraint structure was designed and built to secure the SRM from lifting off during the firing. In addition, the structure provided weather protection, temperature conditioning of the SRM, and positioning of the measurement and recording equipment. The structure was also used for stacking/de-stacking of SRM segments and other technological processes. The existing stand, its foundation and anchorage were thoroughly examined and reanalyzed. Necessary stand modifications were carried out to comply with the requirements of the Titan 34D SRM static firing.

Dr. von Braun Standing by Five F-1 Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

A pioneer of America's space program, Dr. von Braun stands by the five F-1 engines of the Saturn V launch vehicle. This Saturn V vehicle is an actual test vehicle which has been displayed at the U.S. Space Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Designed and developed by Rocketdyne under the direction of the Marshall Space Flight Center, a cluster of five F-1 engines was mounted on the Saturn V S-IC (first) stage. The engines measured 19-feet tall by 12.5-feet at the nozzle exit and burned 15 tons of liquid oxygen and kerosene each second to produce 7,500,000 pounds of thrust. The S-IC stage is the first stage, or booster, of a 364-foot long rocket that ultimately took astronauts to the Moon.

NASA’s Space Launch System Engine Testing Heats Up

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-23

NASA engineers successfully conducted the second in a series of RS-25 flight controller tests on May 23, 2017, for the world’s most-powerful rocket. The 500-second test on the A-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi marked another milestone toward launch of NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on its inaugural flight, the Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1). The SLS rocket, powered by four RS-25 engines, will provide 2 million pounds of thrust and work in conjunction with two solid rocket boosters. These are former space shuttle main engines, modified to perform at a higher level and with a new controller.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1960-01-01

The F-1 engine was developed and built by Rocketdyne under the direction of the Marshall Space Flight Center. It measured 19 feet tall by 12.5 feet at the nozzle exit, and produced a 1,500,000-pound thrust using liquid oxygen and kerosene as the propellant. The image shows an F-1 engine being test fired at the Test Stand 1-C at the Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Sea-level evaluation of digitally implemented turbojet engine control functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arpasi, D. J.; Cwynar, D. S.; Wallhagen, R. E.

1972-01-01

The standard hydromechanical control system of a turbojet engine was replaced with a digital control system that implemented the same control laws. A detailed discussion of the digital control system in use with the engine is presented. The engine was operated in a sea-level test stand. The effects of control update interval are defined, and a method for extending this interval by using digital compensation is discussed.

Engine Throat/Nozzle Optics for Plume Spectroscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

independent of the external plume characteristics so operation can be achieved on diffuser test stands and with the engine exhausting to a variable... combustion chamber operates at 205 atmospheres during 109% power conditions with a mixture ratio of 6:1. The engine is overexpanded at sea level and...LeRC/500-219. 16. Abstract The throat and combustion chamber of an operating rocket engine provide a preferred signal source for optical spectroscopy

Powertrain Test Procedure Development for EPA GHG Certification of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chambon, Paul H.; Deter, Dean D.

2016-07-01

xiii ABSTRACT The goal of this project is to develop and evaluate powertrain test procedures that can accurately simulate real-world operating conditions, and to determine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of advanced medium- and heavy-duty engine and vehicle technologies. ORNL used their Vehicle System Integration Laboratory to evaluate test procedures on a stand-alone engine as well as two powertrains. Those components where subjected to various drive cycles and vehicle conditions to evaluate the validity of the results over a broad range of test conditions. Overall, more than 1000 tests were performed. The data are compiled and analyzed in this report.

AJ26 engine test

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-07

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (l) and John C. Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann watch the successful test of the first Aerojet AJ26 flight engine Feb. 7, 2011. The test was conducted on the E-1 Test Stand at Stennis. The engine now will be sent to Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, where it will be used to power the first stage of Orbital Sciences Corporation's Taurus II space vehicle. The Feb. 7 test supports NASA's commitment to partner with companies to provide commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. NASA has partnered with Orbital to carry out the first of eight cargo missions to the space station in early 2012.

Credit BG. Looking southeast at Test Stand "D" (Building 4223/E24). ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit BG. Looking southeast at Test Stand "D" (Building 4223/E-24). Left foreground contains six high-pressure nitrogen tanks which supplied nitrogen for operation of propellant valves. Several tanks for other substances have been removed from the base of the tower as part of decontamination and dismantling program. The vertical vacuum test cell can be seen in the tower behind the western sunscreen. At the top of the tower in the northeast corner is the interstage condenser used in the series of vacuum ejectors; at the top of the condenser is one of two Z-stage ejectors used to evacuate the condenser. The hoist beam for lifting/lowering rocket engines can be clearly seen projecting to the west over the pavement. In the distance on the right are Clayton water-tube steam generators from Building 4280/E-81, and the towers for Test Stand "C" and its scrubber-condenser - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Numerical modeling of a 2K J-T heat exchanger used in Fermilab Vertical Test Stand VTS-1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, Prabhat Kumar; Rabehl, Roger

2014-07-01

Fermilab Vertical Test Stand-1 (VTS-1) is in operation since 2007 for testing the superconducting RF cavities at 2 K. This test stand has single layer coiled finned tubes heat exchanger before J-T valve. A finite difference based thermal model has been developed in Engineering Equation Solver (EES) to study its thermal performance during filling and refilling to maintain the constant liquid level of test stand. The model is also useful to predict its performance under other various operating conditions and will be useful to design the similar kind of heat exchanger for future needs. Present paper discusses the different operationalmore » modes of this heat exchanger and its thermal characteristics under these operational modes. Results of this model have also been compared with the experimental data gathered from the VTS-1 heat exchanger and they are in good agreement with the present model.« less

A Brief Historical Survey of Rocket Testing Induced Acoustic Environments at NASA SSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allgood, Daniel C.

2012-01-01

A survey was conducted of all the various rocket test programs that have been performed since the establishment of NASA Stennis Space Center. The relevant information from each of these programs were compiled and used to quantify the theoretical noise source levels using the NASA approved methodology for computing "acoustic loads generated by a propulsion system" (NASA SP ]8072). This methodology, which is outlined in Reference 1, has been verified as a reliable means of determining the noise source characteristics of rocket engines. This information is being provided to establish reference environments for new government/business residents to ascertain whether or not their activities will generate acoustic environments that are more "encroaching" in the NASA Fee Area. In this report, the designation of sound power level refers to the acoustic power of the rocket engine at the engine itself. This is in contrast to the sound pressure level associated with the propagation of the acoustic energy in the surrounding air. The first part of the survey documents the "at source" sound power levels and their dominant frequency bands for the range of engines tested at Stennis. The second part of the survey discusses how the acoustic energy levels will propagate non ]uniformly from the test stands. To demonstrate this, representative acoustic sound pressure mappings in the NASA Stennis Fee Area were computed for typical engine tests on the B ]1 and E ]1 test stands.

3. SOUTH TEST STAND WITH X15 IN PLACE. A color ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. SOUTH TEST STAND WITH X-15 IN PLACE. A color photograph taken from a lift boom or from atop a truck, looking northwest to NASA hangars in the far distance. Also shows the shop building at left, and two observation bunkers with hatches open; one at right (Bldg. 1933) and the other in front of Liquid Oxygen tank truck at left (Bldg. 1934). - Edwards Air Force Base, X-15 Engine Test Complex, Rogers Dry Lake, east of runway between North Base & South Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-07-10

Marshall Space Flight Center's rocket development has always included component testing. Pictured here is a Cell 114-B burn stack. The C114-B is part of the gas generators used to test heat exchanges for the F-1 engine. On the initial firing of the C114-B the spark ignition would not light. The rocket propellant mixed with the liquid oxygen gelled creating a bomb. After several attempts at ignition, the spark ignited and blew up the stand. Subsequent testings were completed on newly constructed stands and no further mishaps were reported.

Gov. Barbour views test firing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Steam billows from an RS-68 rocket engine test at the B Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on June 2. The test was viewed by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (third from left) and his wife, Marsha, who spent the afternoon at the NASA rocket engine testing center. The governor was joined at the RS-68 test by (l to r) Charles Scales, NASA associate deputy administrator; Jeffrey Wright, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne site director at Stennis; Gene Goldman, Stennis director; and Jack Forsythe, NASA assistant administrator for the Office of Security and Program Protection.

Gov. Barbour views test firing

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-02

Steam billows from an RS-68 rocket engine test at the B Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on June 2. The test was viewed by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (third from left) and his wife, Marsha, who spent the afternoon at the NASA rocket engine testing center. The governor was joined at the RS-68 test by (l to r) Charles Scales, NASA associate deputy administrator; Jeffrey Wright, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne site director at Stennis; Gene Goldman, Stennis director; and Jack Forsythe, NASA assistant administrator for the Office of Security and Program Protection.

4. Credit GE. Photographic copy of photograph, looking northeast into ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. Credit GE. Photographic copy of photograph, looking northeast into 'A' stand flame trench as seen from the southeast corner of 'A' stand foundation. The concrete construction at the bottom of the trench is a water pond with sump for cooling rocket engine plumes before they blow into the desert to the east. (JPL negative no. 383-940-B, 29 August 1945) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand A, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

NASA on a Strong Roll in Preparing Space Launch System Flight Engines

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-09

NASA is on a roll when it comes to testing engines for its new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will send astronauts to deep-space destinations, including Mars. Just two weeks after the third test of a new RS-25 engine flight controller, the space agency recorded its fourth full-duration controller test Aug. 9 at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Engineers conducted a 500-second test of the RS-25 engine controller on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis. The test involved installing the controller on an RS-25 development engine and firing it in the same manner, and for the same length of time, as needed during an actual SLS launch. The test marked another milestone toward launch of the first integrated flight of the SLS rocket and Orion crew vehicle. Exploration Mission-1 will be an uncrewed mission into lunar orbit, designed to provide a final check-out test of rocket and Orion capabilities before astronauts are returned to deep space. The SLS rocket will be powered at launch by four RS-25 engines, providing a combined 2 million pounds of thrust, and with a pair of solid rocket boosters, providing more than 8 million pounds of total thrust. The RS-25 engines for the initial SLS flights are former space shuttle main engines that are now being used to launch the larger and heavier SLS rocket and with the new controller. The controller is a critical component that operates as the engine “brain” that communicates with SLS flight computers to receive operation performance commands and to provide diagnostic data on engine health and status. Engineers conducted early prototype tests at Stennis to collect data for development of the new controller by NASA, RS-25 prime contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne and subcontractor Honeywell. Testing of actual flight controllers began at Stennis in March. NASA is testing all controllers and engines designated for the EM-1 flight at Stennis. It also will test the SLS core stage for the flight at Stennis, which will involve installing the stage on the B-2 Test Stand and firing its four RS-25 engines simultaneously, as during an actual launch. RS-25 tests at Stennis are conducted by a team of NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Syncom Space Services engineers and operators. Aerojet Rocketdyne is the RS-25 prime contractor. Syncom Space Services is the prime contractor for Stennis facilities and operations.

A design procedure for fan inflow control structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gedge, M. R.

1980-01-01

Significant differences exist in the noise generated by engine in flight and engines operating on the test stand. It was observed that these differences can be reduced by use of an inflow control structure (ICS) in the static test configuration. The results of the second phase of a three phase program are described and the results of a test program conducted to assess and modify various theoretical models, leading to the development of an ICS design system is summarized.

Evaluation of Thermal Barrier and PS-200 Self-Lubricating Coatings in an Air-Cooled Rotary Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moller, Paul S.

1995-01-01

This project provides an evaluation of the feasibility and desirability of applying a thermal barrier coating overlaid with a wear coating on the internal surfaces of the combustion area of rotary engines. Many experiments were conducted with different combinations of coatings applied to engine components of aluminum, iron and titanium, and the engines were run on a well-instrumented test stand. Significant improvements in specific fuel consumption were achieved and the wear coating, PS-200, which was invented at NASA's Lewis Research Center, held up well under severe test conditions.

ETR BASEMENT, TRA642, INTERIOR. BASEMENT. CUBICLE INTERIOR (SEE PHOTOS ID33G101 ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

ETR BASEMENT, TRA-642, INTERIOR. BASEMENT. CUBICLE INTERIOR (SEE PHOTOS ID-33-G-101 AND ID-33-G-102) WITH TANK AND SODIUM-RELATED APPARATUS. CAMERA STANDS BEFORE ROLL-UP DOOR SHOWN IN PHOTO ID-33-G-101. INL NEGATIVE NO. HD24-3-3. Mike Crane, Photographer, 11/2000 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-11-07

A technician checks the systems of the Saturn V instrument unit in a test facility in Huntsville. This instrument unit was flown aboard Apollo 4 on November 7, 1967, which was the first test flight of the Saturn V. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-09-18

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. This photograph taken September 18, 1963 shows a spherical hydrogen tank being constructed next to the S-IC test stand.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-06-07

This photograph depicts the Rocketdyne static firing of the F-1 engine at the towering 76-meter Test Stand 1-C in Area 1-125 of the Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Saturn V S-IC (first) stage utilized five F-1 engines for its thrust. Each engine provided 1,500,000 pounds, for a combined thrust of 7,500,000 pounds with liquid oxygen and kerosene as its propellants.

Experimental Determination of Exhaust Gas Thrust, Special Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinkel, Benjamin; Voss, Fred

1940-01-01

This investigation presents the results of tests made on a radial engine to determine the thrust that can be obtained from the exhaust gas when discharged from separate stacks and when discharged from the collector ring with various discharge nozzles. The engine was provided with a propeller to absorb the power and was mounted on a test stand equipped with scales for measuring the thrust and engine torque. The results indicate that at full open throttle at sea level, for the engine tested, a gain in thrust horsepower of 18 percent using separate stacks, and 9.5 percent using a collector ring and discharge nozzle, can be expected at an air speed of 550 miles per hour.

Modal test of Shuttle engine nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, G. D.; Coleman, A. D.

1983-01-01

A structural failure occurred on the main propulsion test stand at NSTL causing a hydrogen fire and damage to the engines to be used on the Orbiter Columbia. Scattered accelerometer measurements indicated very high response levels at 254 hertz and 311 hertz. The Engine Office at MSFC asked the Dynamics Test Branch to try and find out what caused the failure. All three nozzles were sent to Huntsville for testing. Modal test data revealed very quickly how the failure occurred in the steerhorn and also pointed out two other structural problems. A complete set of data is presented along with a narrative explanation of the steps taken to identify and verify the structural problem.

Space engine safety system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maul, William A.; Meyer, Claudia M.

1991-01-01

A rocket engine safety system was designed to initiate control procedures to minimize damage to the engine or vehicle or test stand in the event of an engine failure. The features and the implementation issues associated with rocket engine safety systems are discussed, as well as the specific concerns of safety systems applied to a space-based engine and long duration space missions. Examples of safety system features and architectures are given, based on recent safety monitoring investigations conducted for the Space Shuttle Main Engine and for future liquid rocket engines. Also, the general design and implementation process for rocket engine safety systems is presented.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-10-26

This plaque, displayed on the grounds of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, commemorates the Redstone Test Stand as an Alabama Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The site was desinated as such in 1979.

Study of stator-vane fluctuating pressures in a turbofan engine for static and flight tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, A. W.

1984-01-01

As part of a program to study the fan noise generated from turbofan engines, fluctuating surface pressures induced by fan-rotor wakes were measured on core- and bypass-stator outlet guide vanes of a modified JT15D-1 engine. Tests were conducted with the engine operating on an outdoor test stand and in flight. The amplitudes of pressures measured at fan-rotor blade-passage fundamental frequencies were generally higher and appeared less stable for the static tests than for the flight tests. Fluctuating pressures measured at the blade-passage frequency of the high-speed core compressor were interpreted to be acoustic; however, disturbance trace velocities for either the convected rotor wakes or acoustic pressures were difficult to interpret because of the complex environment.

Blue Origin testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-20

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (r) discusses the upcoming testing of Blue Origin's BE-3 engine thrust chamber assembly with Steve Knowles, Blue Origin project manager, at the E-1 Test Stand during an April 20, 2012, visit to Stennis Space Center. Blue Origin is one of NASA's partners developing innovative systems to reach low-Earth orbit.

Comparison of straight and 15 degree vectored nozzles using a six component thrust stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Thomas W.; Flake, Scott

1991-01-01

This project compared the forces and moments produced by straight and 15 degree vectored nozzles. Using the six component thrust stand in the engines laboratory at California Polytechnic State University, several trials were performed. This data was then reduced using first a computer program and then later an electronic spreadsheet. This reduced data was graphed and compared. As a result of these comparisons some unexpected forces were discovered. Several more tests were run including a zero thrust test and a statistical comparison were done to discover the source of these discrepancies. As a direct result several nozzle changes were made and significant revisions to the thrust stand are being made.

KSC-2013-4164

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-11-20

VAN HORN, Texas – Blue Origin’s test stand, back right, is framed by a wind mill at the company’s West Texas facility. The company used this test stand to fire its powerful new hydrogen- and oxygen-fueled American rocket engine, the BE-3. The engine fired at full power for more than two minutes to simulate a launch, then paused for about four minutes, mimicking a coast through space before it re-ignited for a brief final burn. The last phase of the test covered the work the engine could perform in landing the booster back softly on Earth. Blue Origin, a partner of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, or CCP, is developing its Orbital Launch Vehicle, which could eventually be used to launch the company's Space Vehicle into orbit to transport crew and cargo to low-Earth orbit. CCP is aiding in the innovation and development of American-led commercial capabilities for crew transportation and rescue services to and from the station and other low-Earth orbit destinations by the end of 2017. For information about CCP, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Photo credit: NASA/Lauren Harnett

Z-2 Suit Support Stand and MKIII Suit Center of Gravity Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Tuan Q.

2014-01-01

NASA's next generation spacesuits are the Z-Series suits, made for a range of possible exploration missions in the near future. The prototype Z-1 suit has been developed and assembled to incorporate new technologies that has never been utilized before in the Apollo suits and the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). NASA engineers tested the Z-1 suit extensively in order to developed design requirements for the new Z-2 suit. At the end of 2014, NASA will be receiving the new Z-2 suit to perform more testing and to further develop the new technologies of the suit. In order to do so, a suit support stand will be designed and fabricated to support the Z-2 suit during maintenance, sizing, and structural leakage testing. The Z-2 Suit Support Stand (Z2SSS) will be utilized for these purposes in the early testing stages of the Z-2 suit.

Busy test week

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

Jason Hopper of NASA (front row), Jody Ladner of Lockheed Martin (back row, left) and Chris Mulkey of NASA prepare to test the Blue Origin BE-3 engine thrust chamber in the E-1 Test Stand Control Center at John C. Stennis Space Center on Nov. 8. The test was one of 27 conducted in Stennis' E Test Complex the week of Nov. 5.

Micro-tensile testing system

DOEpatents

Wenski, Edward G [Lenexa, KS

2007-08-21

A micro-tensile testing system providing a stand-alone test platform for testing and reporting physical or engineering properties of test samples of materials having thicknesses of approximately between 0.002 inch and 0.030 inch, including, for example, LiGA engineered materials. The testing system is able to perform a variety of static, dynamic, and cyclic tests. The testing system includes a rigid frame and adjustable gripping supports to minimize measurement errors due to deflection or bending under load; serrated grips for securing the extremely small test sample; high-speed laser scan micrometers for obtaining accurate results; and test software for controlling the testing procedure and reporting results.

Micro-tensile testing system

DOEpatents

Wenski, Edward G.

2006-01-10

A micro-tensile testing system providing a stand-alone test platform for testing and reporting physical or engineering properties of test samples of materials having thicknesses of approximately between 0.002 inch and 0.030 inch, including, for example, LiGA engineered materials. The testing system is able to perform a variety of static, dynamic, and cyclic tests. The testing system includes a rigid frame and adjustable gripping supports to minimize measurement errors due to deflection or bending under load; serrated grips for securing the extremely small test sample; high-speed laser scan micrometers for obtaining accurate results; and test software for controlling the testing procedure and reporting results.

Micro-tensile testing system

DOEpatents

Wenski, Edward G [Lenexa, KS

2007-07-17

A micro-tensile testing system providing a stand-alone test platform for testing and reporting physical or engineering properties of test samples of materials having thicknesses of approximately between 0.002 inch and 0.030 inch, including, for example, LiGA engineered materials. The testing system is able to perform a variety of static, dynamic, and cyclic tests. The testing system includes a rigid frame and adjustable gripping supports to minimize measurement errors due to deflection or bending under load; serrated grips for securing the extremely small test sample; high-speed laser scan micrometers for obtaining accurate results; and test software for controlling the testing procedure and reporting results.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-10-26

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This construction photo, taken October 26, 1962, depicts a view of the Block House tunnel opening.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-08-17

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This construction photo taken August 17, 1962 depicts a back side view of the Block House.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-11-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This construction photo, taken November 15, 1962, depicts a view of the Block House.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-01-23

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This photo, taken January 23, 1962, shows the excavation of the Block House site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-06-13

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. Construction of the tunnel is depicted in this photo taken June 13, 1962.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-02-02

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This photo, taken February 2, 1962, shows the excavation of the Block House site.

Flight evaluation of an engine static pressure noseprobe in an F-15 airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foote, C. H.; Jaekel, R. F.

1981-01-01

The flight testing of an inlet static pressure probe and instrumented inlet case produced results consistent with sea-level and altitude stand testing. The F-15 flight test verified the basic relationship of total to static pressure ratio versus corrected airflow and automatic distortion downmatch with the engine pressure ratio control mode. Additionally, the backup control inlet case statics demonstrated sufficient accuracy for backup control fuel flow scheduling, and the station 6 manifolded production probe was in agreement with the flight test station 6 tota pressure probes.

Saturn V Instrument Unit Being Checked At MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

A technician checks the systems of the Saturn V instrument unit in a test facility in Huntsville. This instrument unit was flown aboard Apollo 4 on November 7, 1967, which was the first test flight of the Saturn V. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

J-2X installation on A-1

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-20

Core components of the J-2X engine being designed for NASA's Constellation Program recently were installed on the A-1 Test Stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss. Tests of the components, known as Powerpack 1A, will be conducted from November 2007 through February 2008. The Powerpack 1A test article consists of a gas generator and engine turbopumps originally developed for the Apollo Program that put Americans on the moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Engineers are testing these heritage components to obtain data that will help them modify the turbomachinery to meet the higher performance requirements of the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles. The upcoming tests will simulate inlet and outlet conditions that would be present on the turbomachinery during a full-up engine hot-fire test.

Engine component improvement: Performance improvement, JT9D-7 3.8 AR fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffin, W. O.

1980-01-01

A redesigned, fuel efficient fan for the JT9D-7 engine was tested. Tests were conducted to determine the effect of the 3.8 AR fan on performance, stability, operational characteristics, and noise of the JT9D-7 engine relative to the current 4.6 AR Bill-of-Material fan. The 3.8 AR fan provides increased fan efficiency due to a more advanced blade airfoil with increased chord, eliminating one part span shroud and reducing the number of fan blades and fan exit guide vanes. Engine testing at simulated cruise conditions demonstrated the predicted 1.3 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption with the redesigned 3.8 AR fan. Flight testing and sea level stand engine testing demonstrated exhaust gas temperature margins, fan and low pressure compressor stability, operational suitability, and noise levels comparable to the Bill-of-Material fan.

KSC-04pd1646

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-08-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Processing Facility, Boeing-Rocketdyne crane operator Joe Ferrante (left) lowers SSME 2058, the first SSME fully assembled at KSC, onto an engine stand with the assistance of other technicians on his team. The engine is being moved from its vertical work stand into a horizontal position in preparation for shipment to NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to undergo a hot fire acceptance test. It is the first of five engines to be fully assembled on site to reach the desired number of 15 engines ready for launch at any given time in the Space Shuttle program. A Space Shuttle has three reusable main engines. Each is 14 feet long, weighs about 7,800 pounds, is seven-and-a-half feet in diameter at the end of its nozzle, and generates almost 400,000 pounds of thrust. Historically, SSMEs were assembled in Canoga Park, Calif., with post-flight inspections performed at KSC. Both functions were consolidated in February 2002. The Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power division of The Boeing Co. manufactures the engines for NASA.

Coherent Turbulence Rig in the Engine Research Building

NASA Image and Video Library

1979-08-21

An engineer examines the Coherent Turbulence Rig in the Engine Research Building at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. Coherent turbulence occurs when waves of uniform size and alignment are present in airflow. Researchers at NASA Lewis were interested in determining the relation between the size of the waves and their heat transfer properties. The massive 4.25-acre Engine Research Building contains dozens of test cells, test stands, and altitude chambers. A powerful a collection of compressors and exhausters located in the central portion of the basement provides process air and exhaust for these test areas. This system is connected to similar process air systems in the laboratory’s other large test facilities. The Central Control Room coordinates this activity and communicates with the local utilities.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-08-14

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the test stand as of August 14, 1961.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-08-18

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the test stand as of August 18, 1961.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-04-17

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photograph taken April 17, 1963, gives a look at the four tower legs of the S-IC test stand at their completed height.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-07-21

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 21, 1961, a worker can be seen inside the test stand work area with a jack hammer.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-11-20

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the progress of the S-IC test stand as of November 20, 1963.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-06-24

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken June 24, 1963, the four tower legs of the test stand can be seen at their maximum height.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-07-31

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 31, 1961, work is continued in the clearing of the test stand site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-02-25

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photograph taken February 25, 1963, gives a close up look at two of the ever-growing four towers of the S-IC Test Stand.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-08-11

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the test stand as of August 11, 1961.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-05-07

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photograph, taken from ground level on May 7, 1963, gives a close look at one of the four towers legs of the S-IC test stand nearing its completed height.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-05-07

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photograph, taken May 7, 1963, gives a close look at the four concrete tower legs of the S-IC test stand at their completed height.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-07-21

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 21, 1961, workers can be seen inside the test stand work area clearing the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-10-10

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the progress of the S-IC test stand as of October 10, 1963. Kerosene storage tanks can be seen to the left.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-09-07

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the S-IC test stand as of September 7, 1961.

Construction Progress of the S-IC Test Stand-Steel Reinforcements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1961-01-01

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army's Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 15, 1961, shows the installation of the reinforcing steel prior to the pouring of the concrete foundation walls.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-07-10

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 10, 1961, actual ground breaking has occurred for the S-IC test stand site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-06-30

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this early construction photo, taken June 30, 1961, workers are involved in the survey and site preparation for the test stand.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-02-04

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This photograph taken February 4, 1963, gives an impressive look at the Block House looking directly through the ever-growing four towers of the S-IC Test Stand.

40 CFR 86.339-79 - Pre-test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Pre-test procedures. 86.339-79 Section... New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.339-79 Pre-test procedures. (a) Allow a minimum of 30 minutes warm-up in the stand-by or operating mode prior...

40 CFR 86.339-79 - Pre-test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 19 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Pre-test procedures. 86.339-79 Section... New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.339-79 Pre-test procedures. (a) Allow a minimum of 30 minutes warm-up in the stand-by or operating mode prior...

40 CFR 86.339-79 - Pre-test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 19 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Pre-test procedures. 86.339-79 Section... New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.339-79 Pre-test procedures. (a) Allow a minimum of 30 minutes warm-up in the stand-by or operating mode prior...

40 CFR 86.339-79 - Pre-test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Pre-test procedures. 86.339-79 Section... New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.339-79 Pre-test procedures. (a) Allow a minimum of 30 minutes warm-up in the stand-by or operating mode prior...

Space Launch System, Core Stage, Structural Test Design and Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaughnessy, Ray

2017-01-01

As part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Space Launch System (SLS) Program, engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama are working to design, develop and implement the SLS Core Stage structural testing. The SLS will have the capability to return humans to the Moon and beyond and its first launch is scheduled for December of 2017. The SLS Core Stage consist of five major elements; Forward Skirt, Liquid Oxygen (LOX) tank, Intertank (IT), Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) tank and the Engine Section (ES). Structural Test Articles (STA) for each of these elements are being designed and produced by Boeing at Michoud Assembly Facility located in New Orleans, La. The structural test for the Core Stage STAs (LH2, LOX, IT and ES) are to be conducted by the MSFC Test Laboratory. Additionally, the MSFC Test Laboratory manages the Structural Test Equipment (STE) design and development to support the STAs. It was decided early (April 2012) in the project life that the LH2 and LOX tank STAs would require new test stands and the Engine Section and Intertank would be tested in existing facilities. This decision impacted schedules immediately because the new facilities would require Construction of Facilities (C of F) funds that require congressional approval and long lead times. The Engine Section and Intertank structural test are to be conducted in existing facilities which will limit lead times required to support the first launch of SLS. With a SLS launch date of December, 2017 Boeing had a need date for testing to be complete by September of 2017 to support flight certification requirements. The test facilities were required to be ready by October of 2016 to support test article delivery. The race was on to get the stands ready before Test Article delivery and meet the test complete date of September 2017. This paper documents the past and current design and development phases and the supporting processes, tools, and methodology for supporting the SLS Core Stage STA test stands and related STE. The paper will address key requirements, system development activities and project challenges. Additionally, the interrelationships as well as interdependencies within the SLS project will be discussed.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-02-06

Apollo 6, the second and last of the unmarned Saturn V test flights, is slowly transported past the Vehicle Assembly Building on the way to launch pad 39-A. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-08-01

Two workers are dwarfed by the five J-2 engines of the Saturn V second stage (S-II) as they make final inspections prior to a static test firing by North American Space Division. These five hydrogen -fueled engines produced one million pounds of thrust, and placed the Apollo spacecraft into earth orbit before departing for the moon. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

NASA Lewis Research Center's Preheated Combustor and Materials Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nemets, Steve A.; Ehlers, Robert C.; Parrott, Edith

1995-01-01

The Preheated Combustor and Materials Test Facility (PCMTF) in the Engine Research Building (ERB) at the NASA Lewis Research Center is one of two unique combustor facilities that provide a nonvitiated air supply to two test stands, where the air can be used for research combustor testing and high-temperature materials testing. Stand A is used as a research combustor stand, whereas stand B is used for cyclic and survivability tests of aerospace materials at high temperatures. Both stands can accommodate in-house and private industry research programs. The PCMTF is capable of providing up to 30 lb/s (pps) of nonvitiated, 450 psig combustion air at temperatures ranging from 850 to 1150 g F. A 5000 gal tank located outdoors adjacent to the test facility can provide jet fuel at a pressure of 900 psig and a flow rate of 11 gal/min (gpm). Gaseous hydrogen from a 70,000 cu ft (CF) tuber is also available as a fuel. Approximately 500 gpm of cooling water cools the research hardware and exhaust gases. Such cooling is necessary because the air stream reaches temperatures as high as 3000 deg F. The PCMTF provides industry and Government with a facility for studying the combustion process and for obtaining valuable test information on advanced materials. This report describes the facility's support systems and unique capabilities.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-06-03

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) engineers test fired a 26-foot long, 100,000-pound-thrust solid rocket motor for 30 seconds at the MSFC east test area, the first test firing of the Modified NASA Motor (M-NASA Motor). The M-NASA Motor was fired in a newly constructed stand. The motor is 48-inches in diameter and was loaded with two propellant cartridges weighing a total of approximately 12,000 pounds. The purpose of the test was to learn more about solid rocket motor insulation and nozzle materials and to provide young engineers additional hands-on expertise in solid rocket motor technology. The test is a part of NASA's Solid Propulsion Integrity Program, that is to provide NASA engineers with the techniques, engineering tools, and computer programs to be able to better design, build, and verify solid rocket motors.

Dynamic and Transient Performance of Turbofan/Turboshaft Convertible Engine With Variable Inlet Guide Vanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McArdle, Jack G.; Barth, Richard L.; Wenzel, Leon M.; Biesiadny, Thomas J.

1996-01-01

A convertible engine called the CEST TF34, using the variable inlet guide vane method of power change, was tested on an outdoor stand at the NASA Lewis Research Center with a waterbrake dynamometer for the shaft load. A new digital electronic system, in conjunction with a modified standard TF34 hydromechanical fuel control, kept engine operation stable and safely within limits. All planned testing was completed successfully. Steady-state performance and acoustic characteristics were reported previously and are referenced. This report presents results of transient and dynamic tests. The transient tests measured engine response to several rapid changes in thrust and torque commands at constant fan (shaft) speed. Limited results from dynamic tests using the pseudorandom binary noise technique are also presented. Performance of the waterbrake dynamometer is discussed in an appendix.

Implementation of object-oriented programming in study of electrical race car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowak, M.; Baier, M.

2016-08-01

The paper covers issue of conducting advanced research of electrical race car participating in international competition called Sileverline Corporate Challenge. Process of designing race cars in Silesian Greenpower team is aided by a professional engine test stand built particularly in purpose of this research. Phase of testing and simulation is an important part of the implementation of new technologies. Properly developed solutions and test procedures are able to significantly shorten development time and reduce design costs. Testing process must be controlled by a modular and flexible application, easy to modify and ensuring safety. This paper describes the concept of object-oriented programming in LabVIEW and exemplary architecture of object-oriented control application designed to control engine test stand of the electrical race car. Eventually, the task of application will be to steer the electromagnetic brake and the engine load torque to perform according to data from the actual race track. During the designing process of the car, minimizing energy losses and maximizing powertrain efficiency are the main aspects taken into consideration. One of the crucial issues to accomplish these goals is to maintain optimal performance of the motor by applying effective cooling. The paper covers the research verifying the effectiveness of the cooling system.

Floor Plans Fuel Tank Support, Fuel Platform, and LOX ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Floor Plans - Fuel Tank Support, Fuel Platform, and LOX Platform Plans - Marshall Space Flight Center, F-1 Engine Static Test Stand, On Route 565 between Huntsville and Decatur, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Floor Plans Rolling Platform, Tech Systems Platform, and Load ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Floor Plans - Rolling Platform, Tech Systems Platform, and Load Platform Plans - Marshall Space Flight Center, F-1 Engine Static Test Stand, On Route 565 between Huntsville and Decatur, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Floor Plans Foundation Plan at Bedrock and Subgrade Level ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Floor Plans - Foundation Plan at Bedrock and Subgrade Level Plan - Marshall Space Flight Center, F-1 Engine Static Test Stand, On Route 565 between Huntsville and Decatur, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

FAST CHOPPER BUILDING, TRA665. CAMERA FACING NORTH. NOTE BRICKEDIN WINDOW ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

FAST CHOPPER BUILDING, TRA-665. CAMERA FACING NORTH. NOTE BRICKED-IN WINDOW ON RIGHT SIDE (BELOW PAINTED NUMERALS "665"). SLIDING METAL DOOR ON COVERED RAIL AT UPPER LEVEL. SHELTERED ENTRANCE TO STEEL SHIELDING DOOR. DOOR INTO MTR SERVICE BUILDING, TRA-635, STANDS OPEN. MTR BEHIND CHOPPER BUILDING. INL NEGATIVE NO. HD42-1. Mike Crane, Photographer, 3/2004 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

A Method for Reducing the Temperature of Exhaust Manifolds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schey, Oscar W; Young, Alfred W

1931-01-01

This report describes tests conducted at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory on an "air-inducting" exhaust manifold for aircraft engines. The exhaust gases from each cylinder port are discharged into the throat of an exhaust pipe which has a frontal bellmouth. Cooling air is drawn into the pipe, where it surrounds and mixes with the exhaust gases. Temperatures of the manifold shell and of the exhaust gases were obtained in flight for both a conventional manifold and the air-inducting manifold. The air-inducting manifold was installed on an engine which was placed on a test stand. Different fuels were sprayed on and into the manifold to determine whether the use of this manifold reduced the fire hazard. The flight tests showed reductions in manifold temperatures of several hundred degrees, to values below the ignition point of aviation gasoline. On the test stand when the engine was run at idling speeds fuels sprayed into the manifold ignited. It is believed that at low engine speeds the fuel remained in the manifold long enough to become thoroughly heated, and was then ignited by the exhaust gas which had not mixed with cooling air. The use of the air-inducting exhaust manifold must reduce the fire hazard by virtue of its lower operating temperature, but it is not a completely satisfactory solution of the problem.

13. DETAIL SHOWING OXYGEN (LEFT) AND HYDROGEN (RIGHT) PREVALVES ON ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. DETAIL SHOWING OXYGEN (LEFT) AND HYDROGEN (RIGHT) PREVALVES ON SECOND DECK OF SUPERSTRUCTURE, ABOVE THE ENGINE. Looking northwest. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Rocket Engine Plume Diagnostics at Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tejwani, Gopal D.; Langford, Lester A.; VanDyke, David B.; McVay, Gregory P.; Thurman, Charles C.

2003-01-01

The Stennis Space Center has been at the forefront of development and application of exhaust plume spectroscopy to rocket engine health monitoring since 1989. Various spectroscopic techniques, such as emission, absorption, FTIR, LIF, and CARS, have been considered for application at the engine test stands. By far the most successful technology h a been exhaust plume emission spectroscopy. In particular, its application to the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) ground test health monitoring has been invaluable in various engine testing and development activities at SSC since 1989. On several occasions, plume diagnostic methods have successfully detected a problem with one or more components of an engine long before any other sensor indicated a problem. More often, they provide corroboration for a failure mode, if any occurred during an engine test. This paper gives a brief overview of our instrumentation and computational systems for rocket engine plume diagnostics at SSC. Some examples of successful application of exhaust plume spectroscopy (emission as well as absorption) to the SSME testing are presented. Our on-going plume diagnostics technology development projects and future requirements are discussed.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-01-14

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, depicts the progress of the stand as of January 14, 1963, with its four towers prominently rising.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-10-08

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This construction photo, taken October 8, 1962, depicts a front view of the Block House nearing completion.

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, view looking northeast down ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, view looking northeast down onto new Dd test station from Test Stand "D" tower. Hatch of Dd test cell is open, and a test engine sits on a dolly nearby awaiting mounting. Note the water-cooled diffuser on the east end of the test chamber; this was soon replaced with a new diffuser and a steam-driven ejector for simulated high-altitude tests. A closed circuit television camera is mounted on the west end of the test cell. At the lower left of the view are fuel and oxidizer run tanks which supply propellants for test runs. (JPL negative no. 384-2650-A, 8 February 1961) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

SSME Key Operations Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Brian; Bradley, Michael; Ives, Janet

1997-01-01

A Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) test program was conducted between August 1995 and May 1996 using the Technology Test Bed (TTB) Engine. SSTO vehicle studies have indicated that increases in the propulsion system operating range can save significant weight and cost at the vehicle level. This test program demonstrated the ability of the SSME to accommodate a wide variation in safe operating ranges and therefore its applicability to the SSTO mission. A total of eight tests were completed with four at Marshall Space Flight Center's Advanced Engine Test Facility and four at the Stennis Space Center (SSC) A-2 attitude test stand. Key demonstration objectives were: 1) Mainstage operation at 5.4 to 6.9 mixture ratio; 2) Nominal engine start with significantly reduced engine inlet pressures of 50 psia LOX and 38 psia fuel; and 3) Low power level operation at 17%, 22%, 27%, 40%, 45%, and 50% of Rated Power Level. Use of the highly instrumented TTB engine for this test series has afforded the opportunity to study in great detail engine system operation not possible with a standard SSME and has significantly contributed to a greater understanding of the capabilities of the SSME and liquid rocket engines in general.

NASA's Space Launch System: Progress Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Jerry; Lyles, Garry

2017-01-01

NASA and its commercial industry team achieved significant progress in 2016 in manufacturing and testing of the Block 1 vehicle for the first launch of the Space Launch System (SLS). Test and flight article hardware for the liquid hydrogen fuel tank as well as the engine section for the core stage were completed at Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. Test stands neared completion at Marshall Space Flight Center for the propellant tanks, engine section, intertank and payload section. Stennis Space Center completed major structural renovations on the B2 test stand, where the core stage "green run" test program will be conducted. The SLS team completed a hotfire test series at Stennis to successfully demonstrate the ability of the RS-25 engine to operate under SLS environments and performance conditions. The team also test fired the second qualification five-segment solid rocket motor and cast the first six motor segments for the first SLS mission. The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) test article was delivered to Marshall for structural tests, and work is nearly finished on the flight stage. Flight software testing completed at Marshall included power quality and command and data handling. In 2017, that work continues. SLS completed Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), a powerful, human-rated spacecraft that will propel explorers to cis-lunar space. In 2017, hardware will continue to be integrated at MAF for core stage structural test articles and the first two operational flights. RS-25 hotfire testing will continue to explore engine performance, as well as test flight-like software and four new Engine Controller Units (ECUs) for the first mission. Production of development components for a more affordable RS-25 design is underway. Core stage structural test articles have begun arriving at Marshall. While engineering challenges typical of a new development are possible, SLS is working toward launch readiness in late 2018. This paper will discuss these and other technical and programmatic successes and challenges over the past year and provide a preview of work ahead before first flight

Holographic flow diagnostics for the Space Shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Summarized here are the results of an effort to produce holograms of the exhaust from the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) being tested on a test stand at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The effort took place from December 1990 to January 1992, during which seven trips were made from MetroLaser to MSFC. A brief outline of each trip is given. Due to the suspension of the SSME program in Huntsville and unexpected complications in resolving safety issues, the proposed holography system was not operated until November 1991. A NASA 100 mW Argon laser was installed in the holography system for an October engine test while these safety issues were being resolved. A video camera shadowgraph was made during this test, which was shut down prematurely after 20 seconds. System problems precluded successful operation of the holography system until the January 1992 engine test. No hologram resulted during this test due to heavy fog conditions around the engine.

High-Speed Observer: Automated Streak Detection in SSME Plumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rieckoff, T. J.; Covan, M.; OFarrell, J. M.

2001-01-01

A high frame rate digital video camera installed on test stands at Stennis Space Center has been used to capture images of Space Shuttle main engine plumes during test. These plume images are processed in real time to detect and differentiate anomalous plume events occurring during a time interval on the order of 5 msec. Such speed yields near instantaneous availability of information concerning the state of the hardware. This information can be monitored by the test conductor or by other computer systems, such as the integrated health monitoring system processors, for possible test shutdown before occurrence of a catastrophic engine failure.

40 CFR 86.130-00 - Test sequence; general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... measurements supersede previous values. [61 FR 54893, Oct. 22, 1996] ... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES Emission... (US06) and air conditioning (SC03) use are conducted as stand-alone tests as described in §§ 86.158-00...

5. GUN MOUNT ON TERRACE, EAST VIEW (1992). WrightPatterson ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. GUN MOUNT ON TERRACE, EAST VIEW (1992). - Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Area B, Building 71, Power Plant Engine Test Torque Stands, Seventh Street between D & G Streets, Dayton, Montgomery County, OH

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-09-05

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. In the center portion of this photograph, taken September 5, 1963, the spherical hydrogen storage tanks are being constructed. One of the massive tower legs of the S-IC test stand is visible to the far right.

J-2X Powerpack tests begin

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-12-18

COLD FLOW - Liquid oxygen runs through the piping on Stennis Space Center's A-1 Test Stand on Dec. 18 to test the ability of the J-2X engine's Powerpack 1A to withstand the temperature change and pressure. Just visible above and to the right of the test article's nozzle is a frosty pipe, indicating the supercold fuel is flowing as it should.

Control of Inflow Distortion in a Scarf Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerhold, Carl H.; Clark, Lorenzo R.; Biedron, Robert T.

2002-01-01

The scarf inlet has the potential to reduce aircraft inlet noise radiation to the ground by reflecting it into the space above the engine. Without forward motion of the engine, the non-symmetry of the inlet causes inflow distortion which generates noise that is greater than the noise reduction of the scarf. However, acoustic evaluations of aircraft engines are often done on static test stands. A method to reduce inflow distortion by boundary layer suction is proposed and evaluated using a model of a high bypass ratio engine located in an anechoic chamber. The design goal of the flow control system is to make the inflow to the inlet circumferentially uniform and to eliminate reversed flow. This minimizes the inflow distortion and allows for acoustic evaluation of the scarf inlet on a static test stand. The inlet boundary layer suction effectiveness is evaluated both by aerodynamic and by acoustic measurements. Although the design goal is not met, the control system is found to have a beneficial effect on the engine operation, reducing blade stall and speed variation. This is quantified by two acoustic benefits, reduction both of the variability of tone noise and of the low frequency wideband noise due to the inflow distortion. It is felt that a compromise in the manufacture of the control hardware contributes to the inability of the control system to perform as expected from the analysis. The control system with sufficient authority is felt to have the potential to permit reliable acoustic testing in a static configuration of engines with non-symmetric inlets. Because the control system can improve operation of the engine, it may also have the potential to reduce noise and vibration and enhance engine longevity during low speed ground operations in the terminal area.

DESIGN OF A HIGH COMPRESSION, DIRECT INJECTION, SPARK-IGNITION, METHANOL FUELED RESEARCH ENGINE WITH AN INTEGRAL INJECTOR-IGNITION SOURCE INSERT, SAE PAPER 2001-01-3651

EPA Science Inventory

A stratified charge research engine and test stand were designed and built for this work. The primary goal of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of using a removal integral injector ignition source insert which allows a convenient method of charging the relative locat...

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-01-01

This photo shows the Saturn V first stage being lowered to the ground following a successful test to determine the effects of continual vibrations simulating the effects of an actual launch. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Apollo 6 Transported to Launch Pad at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

Apollo 6, the second and last of the unmarned Saturn V test flights, is slowly transported past the Vehicle Assembly Building on the way to launch pad 39-A. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

SLS Engine Section Test Article Moves From NASA Barge Pegasus To Test Stand at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-18

The NASA barge Pegasus made its first trip to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama on May 15. It arrived carrying the first piece of Space Launch System hardware built at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The barge left Michoud on April 28 with the core stage engine section test article, traveling 1,240 miles by river to Marshall. The rocket's engine section is the bottom of the core stage and houses the four RS-25 engines. The engine section test article was moved from the barge to Marshall’s Building 4619 where it will be tested. The bottom part of the test article is structurally the same as the engine section that will be flown as part of the SLS core stage. The shiny metal top part simulates the rocket's liquid hydrogen tank, which is the fuel tank that joins to the engine section. The test article will endure tests that pull, push, and bend it, subjecting it to millions of pounds of force. This ensures the structure can withstand the incredible stresses produced by the 8.8 million pounds of thrust during launch and ascent.

Main Propulsion Test Article (MPTA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snoddy, Cynthia

2010-01-01

Scope: The Main Propulsion Test Article integrated the main propulsion subsystem with the clustered Space Shuttle Main Engines, the External Tank and associated GSE. The test program consisted of cryogenic tanking tests and short- and long duration static firings including gimbaling and throttling. The test program was conducted on the S1-C test stand (Position B-2) at the National Space Technology Laboratories (NSTL)/Stennis Space Center. 3 tanking tests and 20 hot fire tests conducted between December 21 1 1977 and December 17, 1980 Configuration: The main propulsion test article consisted of the three space shuttle main engines, flightweight external tank, flightweight aft fuselage, interface section and a boilerplate mid/fwd fuselage truss structure.

Advanced nozzle and engine components test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beltran, Luis R.; Delroso, Richard L.; Delrosario, Ruben

1992-01-01

A test facility for conducting scaled advanced nozzle and engine component research is described. The CE-22 test facility, located in the Engine Research Building of the NASA Lewis Research Center, contains many systems for the economical testing of advanced scale-model nozzles and engine components. The combustion air and altitude exhaust systems are described. Combustion air can be supplied to a model up to 40 psig for primary air flow, and 40, 125, and 450 psig for secondary air flow. Altitude exhaust can be simulated up to 48,000 ft, or the exhaust can be atmospheric. Descriptions of the multiaxis thrust stand, a color schlieren flow visualization system used for qualitative flow analysis, a labyrinth flow measurement system, a data acquisition system, and auxiliary systems are discussed. Model recommended design information and temperature and pressure instrumentation recommendations are included.

AJ26 rocket engine testing news briefing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (center) stands in front of a 'pathfinder' rocket engine with Orbital Sciences Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer J.R. Thompson (left) and Aerojet President Scott Seymour during a Feb. 24 news briefing at the south Mississippi facility. The leaders appeared together to announce a partnership for testing Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines at Stennis. The engines will be used to power Orbital's Taurus II space vehicles to provide commercial cargo transportation missions to the International Space Station for NASA. During the event, the Stennis partnership with Orbital was cited as an example of the new direction of NASA to work with commercial interests for space travel and transport.

First environmental data from the EUV engineering test stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klebanoff, Leonard E.; Malinowski, Michael E.; Grunow, Philip A.; Clift, W. Miles; Steinhaus, Chip; Leung, Alvin H.; Haney, Steven J.

2001-08-01

The first environmental data from the Engineering Test Stand (ETS) has been collected. Excellent control of high-mass hydrocarbons has been observed. This control is a result of extensive outgas testing of components and materials, vacuum compatible design of the ETS, careful cleaning of parts and pre-baking of cables and sub assemblies where possible, and clean assembly procedures. As a result of the hydrocarbon control, the residual ETS vacuum environment is rich in water vapor. Analysis of witness plate data indicates that the ETS environment does not pose a contamination risk to the optics in the absence of EUV irradiation. However, with EUV exposure, the water rich environment can lead to EUV- induced water oxidation of the Si-terminated Mo/Si optics. Added ethanol can prevent optic oxidation, allowing carbon growth via EUV cracking of low-level residual hydrocarbons to occur. The EUV environmental issues are understood, mitigation approaches have been validated, and EUV optic contamination appears to be manageable.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-07-03

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow access tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. This construction photo taken July 3, 1962 depicts the Block House with a portion of its concrete walls poured and exposed while many are still in the forms stage.

Application of Background Oriented Schlieren for Altitude Testing of Rocket Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wernet, Mark P.; Stiegemeier, Benjamin R.

2017-01-01

A series of experiments was performed to determine the feasibility of using the Background Oriented Schlieren, BOS, flow visualization technique to image a simulated, small, rocket engine, plume under altitude test conditions. Testing was performed at the NASA Glenn Research Centers Altitude Combustion Stand, ACS, using nitrogen as the exhaust gas simulant. Due to limited optical access to the facility test capsule, all of the hardware required to conduct the BOS were located inside the vacuum chamber. During the test series 26 runs were performed using two different nozzle configurations with pressures in the test capsule around 0.3 psia. No problems were encountered during the test series resulting from the optical hardware being located in the test capsule and acceptable resolution images were captured. The test campaign demonstrated the ability of using the BOS technique for small, rocket engine, plume flow visualization during altitude testing.

Russian and American Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) - Prime Crew Portrait

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-02-27

S75-22410 (March 1975) --- These five men compose the two prime crews of the joint United States-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) docking mission in Earth orbit scheduled for July 1975. They are astronaut Thomas P. Stafford (standing on left), commander of the American crew; cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov (standing on right), commander of the Soviet crew; astronaut Donald K. Slayton (seated on left), docking module pilot of the American crew; astronaut Vance D. Brand (seated center), command module pilot of the American crew; and cosmonaut Valeriy N. Kubasov (seated on right), engineer on the Soviet crew.

Advanced Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-15

THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE A3 TEST STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE ARES/CLV UPPER STAGE ENGINE AT STENNIS SPACE CENTER, MISSISSIPPI. THIS IMAGE IS EXTRACTED FROM A HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO FILE AND IS THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION AVAILABLE.

Flame Deflector Section, Elevation, Water Supply Flow Diagram, Exploded ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Flame Deflector - Section, Elevation, Water Supply Flow Diagram, Exploded Deflector Manifolds, and Interior Perspective - Marshall Space Flight Center, F-1 Engine Static Test Stand, On Route 565 between Huntsville and Decatur, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Thrust stand evaluation of engine performance improvement algorithms in an F-15 airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conners, Timothy R.

1992-01-01

An investigation is underway to determine the benefits of a new propulsion system optimization algorithm in an F-15 airplane. The performance seeking control (PSC) algorithm optimizes the quasi-steady-state performance of an F100 derivative turbofan engine for several modes of operation. The PSC algorithm uses an onboard software engine model that calculates thrust, stall margin, and other unmeasured variables for use in the optimization. As part of the PSC test program, the F-15 aircraft was operated on a horizontal thrust stand. Thrust was measured with highly accurate load cells. The measured thrust was compared to onboard model estimates and to results from posttest performance programs. Thrust changes using the various PSC modes were recorded. Those results were compared to benefits using the less complex highly integrated digital electronic control (HIDEC) algorithm. The PSC maximum thrust mode increased intermediate power thrust by 10 percent. The PSC engine model did very well at estimating measured thrust and closely followed the transients during optimization. Quantitative results from the evaluation of the algorithms and performance calculation models are included with emphasis on measured thrust results. The report presents a description of the PSC system and a discussion of factors affecting the accuracy of the thrust stand load measurements.

Static test-stand performance of the YF-102 turbofan engine with several exhaust configurations for the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcardle, J. G.; Homyak, L.; Moore, A. S.

1979-01-01

The performance of a YF-102 turbofan engine was measured in an outdoor test stand with a bellmouth inlet and seven exhaust-system configurations. The configurations consisted of three separate-flow systems of various fan and core nozzle sizes and four confluent-flow systems of various nozzle sizes and shapes. A computer program provided good estimates of the engine performance and of thrust at maximum rating for each exhaust configuration. The internal performance of two different-shaped core nozzles for confluent-flow configurations was determined to be satisfactory. Pressure and temperature surveys were made with a traversing probe in the exhaust-nozzle flow for some confluent-flow configurations. The survey data at the mixing plane, plus the measured flow rates, were used to calculate the static-pressure variation along the exhaust nozzle length. The computed pressures compared well with experimental wall static-pressure data. External-flow surveys were made, for some confluent-flow configurations, with a large fixed rake at various locations in the exhaust plume.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-09-25

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built to the northeast of the stand was a newly constructed Pump House. Its function was to provide water to the stand to prevent melting damage during testing. The water was sprayed through small holes in the stand’s 1900 ton flame deflector at the rate of 320,000 gallons per minute. This photograph, taken September 25, 1963, depicts the construction progress of the Pump House and massive round water tanks on the right.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-03-31

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In addition to the stand itself, related facilities were constructed during this time. Built directly east of the test stand was the Block House, which served as the control center for the test stand. The two were connected by a narrow tunnel which housed the cables for the controls. Again to the east, just south of the Block House, was a newly constructed Pump House. Its function was to provide water to the stand to prevent melting damage during testing. The water was sprayed through small holes in the stand’s 1900 ton water deflector at the rate of 320,000 gallons per minute. In this photo, taken March 20, 1962, construction of the Pump House area is well underway.

Development of Polarized UV Raman and Infrared Emission/Absorption Spectroscopy for Rocket Engine Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osborne, Robin; Wehrmeyer, Joseph; Farmer, Richard; Trinh, Huu; Dobson, Chris; Eskridge, Richard; Cramer, John; Hartfield, Roy; Turner, Jim (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The objective of this project is to provide measurements of species concentrations and temperature for hot-fire test articles at Test Stand 115 at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Measurements can be useful for comparison to computational fluid dynamics simulations and help to evaluate combustion performance.

40 CFR 91.328 - Measurement equipment accuracy/calibration frequency table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Test... appendix A to this subpart are met. (f) Verify that all NDIR analyzers meet the water rejection ratio and the CO2 rejection ratio as specified in § 91.325. (g) Verify that the dynamometer test stand and power...

Stennis firefighters

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-11

Instructor Rob Mortin watches as Stennis Space Center firefighters Lt. Greg Lampley, Rodney Boone, Vance Forrest and Billy Scarborough practice high-angle rope rescue techniques during a May 11, 2012, training exercise. The exercise specifically focused on scenarios applicable to the 300-foot-tall, open-steel-structure A-3 Test Stand under construction at the rocket engine test facility.

An Approach to Developing the Laboratory Through Senior Design Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faghri, Amir

1987-01-01

Describes a program in which senior engineering students are given the opportunity to design, make, and test apparatus intended for an upper-level teaching laboratory. Discusses such projects as a vapor compressor test stand with refrigerant mass flow measurement, a double-walled concentric annular heat pipe, and a vacuum filling station. (TW)

Credit BG. View looking northeast down from the tower onto ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit BG. View looking northeast down from the tower onto the two horizontal test stations at Test Stand "D." Station Dy is at the far left (Dy vacuum cell out of view), with in-line exhaust gas cooling sections and steam-driven "air ejector" (or evacuator) discharging engine exhausts to the east. The Dd cell is visible at the lower left, and the Dd exhaust train has the same functions as at Dy. The spherical tank is an electrically heated "accumulator" which supplies steam to the ejectors at Dv, Dd, and Dy stations. Other large piping delivered cooling water to the horizontal train cooling sections. The horizontal duct at the "Y" branch in the Dd train connects the Dd ejector to the Dv and Cv vacuum duct system (a blank can be bolted into this duct to isolate the Dd system). The shed roof for the Dpond test station appears at bottom center of this image. The open steel frame to the lower left of the image supports a hoist and crane for installing or removing test engines from the Dd test cell - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Systems and Components Fuel Delivery System, Water Delivery System, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Systems and Components - Fuel Delivery System, Water Delivery System, Derrick Crane System, and Crane System Details - Marshall Space Flight Center, F-1 Engine Static Test Stand, On Route 565 between Huntsville and Decatur, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

3. EXTERIOR VIEW TO THE NORTHEAST OF A RAILROAD CAR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. EXTERIOR VIEW TO THE NORTHEAST OF A RAILROAD CAR ON THE TRACKS AND THE PARTS OF AN ENGINE STAND. - Nevada Test Site, Pluto Facility, Area 26, Wahmonie Flats, Cane Spring Road, Mercury, Nye County, NV

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-09-29

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 29, 1961, shows the progress of the concrete walls for the stand’s foundation. Some of the walls have been poured and some of the concrete forms have been removed.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-09-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 15, 1961, shows the installation of the reinforcing steel prior to the pouring of the concrete foundation walls.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-09-22

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 22, 1961, shows the progress of the concrete walls for the stand’s foundation. Some of the walls have been poured and some of the concrete forms have been removed.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-09-07

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the forms for the concrete foundation walls as of September 7, 1961.

From Paper to Production to Test: An Update on NASA's J-2X Engine for Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kynard, Michael

2011-01-01

The NASA/industry team responsible for developing the J-2X upper stage engine for the Space Launch System (SLS) Program has made significant progress toward moving beyond the design phase and into production, assembly, and test of development hardware. The J-2X engine exemplifies the SLS Program goal of using proven technology and experience from more than 50 years of United States spaceflight experience combined with modern manufacturing processes and approaches. It will power the second stage of the fully evolved SLS Program launch vehicle that will enable a return to human exploration of space beyond low earth orbit. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) is under contract to develop and produce the engine, leveraging its flight-proven LH2/LOX, gas generator cycle J-2 and RS-68 engine capabilities, recent experience with the X-33 aerospike XRS-2200 engine, and development knowledge of the J-2S tap-off cycle engine. The J- 2X employs a gas generator operating cycle designed to produce 294,000 pounds of vacuum thrust in primary operating mode with its full nozzle extension. With a truncated nozzle extension suitable to support engine clustering on the stage, the nominal vacuum thrust level in primary mode is 285,000 pounds. It also has a secondary mode, during which it operates at 80 percent thrust by altering its mixture ratio. The J-2X development philosophy is based on proven hardware, an aggressive development schedule, and early risk reduction. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and PWR began development of the J-2X in June 2006. The government/industry team of more than 600 people within NASA and PWR successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) in November 2008, following extensive risk mitigation testing. Assembly of the first development engine was completed in May 2011 and the first engine test was conducted at the NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC), test stand A2, on 14 July 2011. Testing of the first development engine will continue through the autumn of 2011, be paused for test stand modifications to the passive diffuser, and then restart in the spring of 2012. This testing will be followed by specialized powerpack testing intended to examine the design and operating margins of the engine turbomachinery. The development plan beyond this point leads through more system-level, engine testing of several samples, analytical model validation activities, functional and performance verification, and then ultimate certification to support human spaceflight. This paper will discuss the J-2X development background, provide top-level information on design and development planning, and will explore some of the development challenges and mitigation activities pursued to date.

Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air Insulation Redesign Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaddy, Darrell; Carroll, Paul; Head, Kenneth; Fasheh, John; Stuart, Jessica

2010-01-01

The Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air Insulation redesign was required to prevent the reoccurance of the STS-111 High Pressure Speed Sensor In-Flight Anomaly. The STS-111 In-Flight Anomaly Failure Investigation Team's initial redesign of the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump Pump End Ball Bearing Liquid Air Insulation failed the certification test by producing Liquid Air. The certification test failure indicated not only the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump Liquid Air Insulation, but all other Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air Insulation. This paper will document the original Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air STS-111 In-Flight Anomaly investigation, the heritage Space Shuttle Main Engine Insulation certification testing faults, the techniques and instrumentation used to accurately test the Liquid Air Insulation systems on the Stennis Space Center SSME test stand, the analysis techniques used to identify the Liquid Air Insulation problem areas and the analytical verification of the redesign before entering certification testing, Trade study down selected to three potential design solutions, the results of the development testing which down selected the final Liquid Air Redesign are also documented within this paper.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1964-12-01

At the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the fuel tank assembly for the Saturn V S-IC-T (static test stage) fuel tank assembly is mated to the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank in building 4705. This stage underwent numerous static firings at the newly-built S-IC Static Test Stand at the MSFC west test area. The S-IC (first) stage used five F-1 engines that produced a total thrust of 7,500,000 pounds as each engine produced 1,500,000 pounds of thrust. The S-IC stage lifted the Saturn V vehicle and Apollo spacecraft from the launch pad.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-10-22

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the progress of the S-IC test stand as of October 22, 1963. Spherical liquid hydrogen tanks can be seen to the left. Just to the lower front of those are the cylindrical liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-06-01

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 13, 1961, progress is being made with the excavation of the S-IC test stand site. During the digging, a natural spring was disturbed which caused a constant flooding problem. Pumps were used to remove the water all through the construction process and the site is still pumped today.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-03-29

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In the early stages of excavation, a natural spring was disturbed that caused a water problem which required constant pumping from the site and is even pumped to this day. Behind this reservoir of pumped water is the S-IC test stand boasting its ever-growing four towers as of March 29, 1963.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-08-05

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photograph taken on August 5th, 1961, a back hoe is nearly submerged in water in the test stand site. During the initial digging, the disturbance of a natural spring contributed to constant water problems during the construction process. It was necessary to pump the water from the site on a daily basis and is still pumped from the site today.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-08-14

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the test stand as of August 14, 1961. Water gushing in from the disturbance of a natural spring contributed to constant water problems during the construction process. It was necessary to pump water from the site on a daily basis and is still pumped from the site today. The equipment is partially submerged in the water emerging from the spring.

Tail Service Mast Umbilical Arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-02

A crane lowers the first Tail Service Mast Umbilical (TSMU) onto a test stand at the Launch Equipment Test Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Two TSMUs will provide liquid propellants and power to the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage engine. Both TSMUs will connect to the zero-level deck on the mobile launcher, providing fuel and electricity to the SLS rocket before it launches on Exploration Mission 1. The TSMU will undergo testing and validation at the LETF to verify it is functioning properly. The center’s Engineering Directorate and the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program are overseeing processing and testing of the umbilicals.

Experimental Evaluation of a Low Emissions High Performance Duct Burner for Variable Cycle Engines (VCE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lohmann, R. P.; Mador, R. J.

1979-01-01

An evaluation was conducted with a three stage Vorbix duct burner to determine the performance and emissions characteristics of the concept and to refine the configuration to provide acceptable durability and operational characteristics for its use in the variable cycle engine (VCE) testbed program. The tests were conducted at representative takeoff, transonic climb, and supersonic cruise inlet conditions for the VSCE-502B study engine. The test stand, the emissions sampling and analysis equipment, and the supporting flow visualization rigs are described. The performance parameters including the fuel-air ratio, the combustion efficiency/exit temperature, thrust efficiency, and gaseous emissions calculations are defined. The test procedures are reviewed and the results are discussed.

On-board Optical Spectrometry for Detection of Mixture Ratio and Eroded Materials in Rocket Engine Exhaust Plume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barkhoudarian, Sarkis; Kittinger, Scott

2006-01-01

Optical spectrometry can provide means to characterize rocket engine exhaust plume impurities due to eroded materials, as well as combustion mixture ratio without any interference with plume. Fiberoptic probes and cables were designed, fabricated and installed on Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME), allowing monitoring of the plume spectra in real time with a Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) fiberoptic spectrometer, located in a test-stand control room. The probes and the cables survived the harsh engine environments for numerous hot-fire tests. When the plume was seeded with a nickel alloy powder, the spectrometer was able to successfully detect all the metallic and OH radical spectra from 300 to 800 nanometers.

A real-time simulator of a turbofan engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litt, Jonathan S.; Delaat, John C.; Merrill, Walter C.

1989-01-01

A real-time digital simulator of a Pratt and Whitney F100 engine has been developed for real-time code verification and for actuator diagnosis during full-scale engine testing. This self-contained unit can operate in an open-loop stand-alone mode or as part of closed-loop control system. It can also be used for control system design and development. Tests conducted in conjunction with the NASA Advanced Detection, Isolation, and Accommodation program show that the simulator is a valuable tool for real-time code verification and as a real-time actuator simulator for actuator fault diagnosis. Although currently a small perturbation model, advances in microprocessor hardware should allow the simulator to evolve into a real-time, full-envelope, full engine simulation.

Construction Progress of the S-IC Test Stand-Pumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1962-01-01

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army's Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken April 4, 1961, shows the S-IC test stand dry once again when workers resumed construction after a 6 month delay due to booster size reconfiguration back in September of 1961. The disturbance of a natural spring during the excavation of the site required water to be pumped from the site continuously. The site was completely flooded after the pumps were shut down during the construction delay.

Post-mortem ecosystem engineering by oysters creates habitat for a rare marsh plant.

PubMed

Guo, Hongyu; Pennings, Steven C

2012-11-01

Oysters are ecosystem engineers in marine ecosystems, but the functions of oyster shell deposits in intertidal salt marshes are not well understood. The annual plant Suaeda linearis is associated with oyster shell deposits in Georgia salt marshes. We hypothesized that oyster shell deposits promoted the distribution of Suaeda linearis by engineering soil conditions unfavorable to dominant salt marsh plants of the region (the shrub Borrichia frutescens, the rush Juncus roemerianus, and the grass Spartina alterniflora). We tested this hypothesis using common garden pot experiments and field transplant experiments. Suaeda linearis thrived in Borrichia frutescens stands in the absence of neighbors, but was suppressed by Borrichia frutescens in the with-neighbor treatment, suggesting that Suaeda linearis was excluded from Borrichia frutescens stands by interspecific competition. Suaeda linearis plants all died in Juncus roemerianus and Spartina alterniflora stands, regardless of neighbor treatments, indicating that Suaeda linearis is excluded from these habitats by physical stress (likely water-logging). In contrast, Borrichia frutescens, Juncus roemerianus, and Spartina alterniflora all performed poorly in Suaeda linearis stands regardless of neighbor treatments, probably due to physical stresses such as low soil water content and low organic matter content. Thus, oyster shell deposits play an important ecosystem engineering role in influencing salt marsh plant communities by providing a unique niche for Suaeda linearis, which otherwise would be rare or absent in salt marshes in the southeastern US. Since the success of Suaeda linearis is linked to the success of oysters, efforts to protect and restore oyster reefs may also benefit salt marsh plant communities.

Software for Preprocessing Data from Rocket-Engine Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Chiu-Fu

2004-01-01

Three computer programs have been written to preprocess digitized outputs of sensors during rocket-engine tests at Stennis Space Center (SSC). The programs apply exclusively to the SSC E test-stand complex and utilize the SSC file format. The programs are the following: Engineering Units Generator (EUGEN) converts sensor-output-measurement data to engineering units. The inputs to EUGEN are raw binary test-data files, which include the voltage data, a list identifying the data channels, and time codes. EUGEN effects conversion by use of a file that contains calibration coefficients for each channel. QUICKLOOK enables immediate viewing of a few selected channels of data, in contradistinction to viewing only after post-test processing (which can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on the number of channels and other test parameters) of data from all channels. QUICKLOOK converts the selected data into a form in which they can be plotted in engineering units by use of Winplot (a free graphing program written by Rick Paris). EUPLOT provides a quick means for looking at data files generated by EUGEN without the necessity of relying on the PV-WAVE based plotting software.

Software for Preprocessing Data From Rocket-Engine Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Chiu-Fu

2003-01-01

Three computer programs have been written to preprocess digitized outputs of sensors during rocket-engine tests at Stennis Space Center (SSC). The programs apply exclusively to the SSC E test-stand complex and utilize the SSC file format. The programs are the following: (1) Engineering Units Generator (EUGEN) converts sensor-output-measurement data to engineering units. The inputs to EUGEN are raw binary test-data files, which include the voltage data, a list identifying the data channels, and time codes. EUGEN effects conversion by use of a file that contains calibration coefficients for each channel. (2) QUICKLOOK enables immediate viewing of a few selected channels of data, in contradistinction to viewing only after post-test processing (which can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on the number of channels and other test parameters) of data from all channels. QUICKLOOK converts the selected data into a form in which they can be plotted in engineering units by use of Winplot. (3) EUPLOT provides a quick means for looking at data files generated by EUGEN without the necessity of relying on the PVWAVE based plotting software.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-09-05

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 5, 1961, shows the construction of forms which became the concrete foundation for the massive stand. The lower right hand corner reveals a pump used for extracting water emerging from a disturbed natural spring that occurred during excavation of the site. The pumping became a daily ritual and the site is still pumped today.

Comparative tests of bench equipment for fuel control system testing of gas-turbine engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shendaleva, E. V.

2018-04-01

The relevance of interlaboratory comparative researches is confirmed by attention of world metrological community to this field of activity. Use of the interlaboratory comparative research methodology not only for single gages collation, but also for bench equipment complexes, such as modeling stands for fuel control system testing of gas-turbine engine, is offered. In this case a comparative measure of different bench equipment will be the control fuel pump. Ensuring traceability of measuring result received at test benches of various air enterprises, development and introduction of national standards to practice of bench tests and, eventually, improvement of quality and safety of a aircraft equipment is result of this approach.

Application of High Speed Digital Image Correlation in Rocket Engine Hot Fire Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gradl, Paul R.; Schmidt, Tim

2016-01-01

Hot fire testing of rocket engine components and rocket engine systems is a critical aspect of the development process to understand performance, reliability and system interactions. Ground testing provides the opportunity for highly instrumented development testing to validate analytical model predictions and determine necessary design changes and process improvements. To properly obtain discrete measurements for model validation, instrumentation must survive in the highly dynamic and extreme temperature application of hot fire testing. Digital Image Correlation has been investigated and being evaluated as a technique to augment traditional instrumentation during component and engine testing providing further data for additional performance improvements and cost savings. The feasibility of digital image correlation techniques were demonstrated in subscale and full scale hotfire testing. This incorporated a pair of high speed cameras to measure three-dimensional, real-time displacements and strains installed and operated under the extreme environments present on the test stand. The development process, setup and calibrations, data collection, hotfire test data collection and post-test analysis and results are presented in this paper.

Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) for Test Stand and J-2X Engine: Core Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa, Jorge F.; Schmalzel, John L.; Aguilar, Robert; Shwabacher, Mark; Morris, Jon

2008-01-01

ISHM capability enables a system to detect anomalies, determine causes and effects, predict future anomalies, and provides an integrated awareness of the health of the system to users (operators, customers, management, etc.). NASA Stennis Space Center, NASA Ames Research Center, and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne have implemented a core ISHM capability that encompasses the A1 Test Stand and the J-2X Engine. The implementation incorporates all aspects of ISHM; from anomaly detection (e.g. leaks) to root-cause-analysis based on failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), to a user interface for an integrated visualization of the health of the system (Test Stand and Engine). The implementation provides a low functional capability level (FCL) in that it is populated with few algorithms and approaches for anomaly detection, and root-cause trees from a limited FMEA effort. However, it is a demonstration of a credible ISHM capability, and it is inherently designed for continuous and systematic augmentation of the capability. The ISHM capability is grounded on an integrating software environment used to create an ISHM model of the system. The ISHM model follows an object-oriented approach: includes all elements of the system (from schematics) and provides for compartmentalized storage of information associated with each element. For instance, a sensor object contains a transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS) with information that might be used by algorithms and approaches for anomaly detection, diagnostics, etc. Similarly, a component, such as a tank, contains a Component Electronic Data Sheet (CEDS). Each element also includes a Health Electronic Data Sheet (HEDS) that contains health-related information such as anomalies and health state. Some practical aspects of the implementation include: (1) near real-time data flow from the test stand data acquisition system through the ISHM model, for near real-time detection of anomalies and diagnostics, (2) insertion of the J-2X predictive model providing predicted sensor values for comparison with measured values and use in anomaly detection and diagnostics, and (3) insertion of third-party anomaly detection algorithms into the integrated ISHM model.

43. Historic photo of Bruce Lundin posing in front of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

43. Historic photo of Bruce Lundin posing in front of observation window in exhaust cone at base of test stand A in Building 202, September 1960. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-53170. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 202, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Development and Testing of a Rotating Detonation Engine Run on Hydrogen and Air

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

all gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuels mixed with gaseous oxygen or air can be burnt in an annular combustion chamber in the regime of a continuous...constructed for the RDE and securely attached to the concrete . The test stand allowed for direct attachment of the RDE via thru holes in the tabletop. Nuts

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-03-31

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September 1961 as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction about to resume, portable, floating pump stations were placed in the site to drain the flood waters caused by a disturbed natural spring months prior during excavation. In this March 31, 1962 photo, the foundation walls can once again be seen.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-22

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 22, 1961, shows danger signs posted around the abandoned site with floods nearing the top. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-03-15

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken March 15, 1962, shows danger signs posted around the abandoned, flooded site. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-03-20

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction about to resume, portable floating pump stations were placed in the site, as seen in this March 20, 1962 photo, to drain the flood waters caused by a disturbed natural spring months prior during excavation.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-04

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 4, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods at the 11 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-18

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 18, 1961, shows the abandoned site entirely flooded. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-11

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 11, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods above the 18 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-01

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 1, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods at the 6 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-11

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 11, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods above the 18 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-08

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 8, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods at the 16 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-04

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand would have to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 4, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods at the 11 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-12-14

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 14, 1961, shows the abandoned site entirely flooded. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-02-02

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken February 2, 1962, shows the abandoned flooded site. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Exploring Young Children's Understanding about the Concept of Volume through Engineering Design in a STEM Activity: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Do-Yong; Park, Mi-Hwa; Bates, Alan B.

2018-01-01

This case study explores young children's understanding and application of the concept of volume through the practices of engineering design in a STEM activity. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. However, engineering stands out as a challenging area to implement. In addition, most early engineering education…

Digital Image Correlation Techniques Applied to Large Scale Rocket Engine Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gradl, Paul R.

2016-01-01

Rocket engine hot-fire ground testing is necessary to understand component performance, reliability and engine system interactions during development. The J-2X upper stage engine completed a series of developmental hot-fire tests that derived performance of the engine and components, validated analytical models and provided the necessary data to identify where design changes, process improvements and technology development were needed. The J-2X development engines were heavily instrumented to provide the data necessary to support these activities which enabled the team to investigate any anomalies experienced during the test program. This paper describes the development of an optical digital image correlation technique to augment the data provided by traditional strain gauges which are prone to debonding at elevated temperatures and limited to localized measurements. The feasibility of this optical measurement system was demonstrated during full scale hot-fire testing of J-2X, during which a digital image correlation system, incorporating a pair of high speed cameras to measure three-dimensional, real-time displacements and strains was installed and operated under the extreme environments present on the test stand. The camera and facility setup, pre-test calibrations, data collection, hot-fire test data collection and post-test analysis and results are presented in this paper.

USSR Report, Engineering and Equipment

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-17

MEKHANIKA ZHIDKOSTI I GAZA, No 5, May 83). 17 Wave Drag of Elongated Astroid Bodies at Moderate Supersonic Flight Velocities (M, I. Follej...mechanical components of such a test stand include an electric drive motor with speed regulation, a Belt transmission, a worm gear for speed

Engine Propeller Research Building at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Image and Video Library

1955-02-21

The Engine Propeller Research Building, referred to as the Prop House, emits steam from its acoustic silencers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. In 1942 the Prop House became the first completed test facility at the new NACA laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. It contained four test cells designed to study large reciprocating engines. After World War II, the facility was modified to study turbojet engines. Two of the test cells were divided into smaller test chambers, resulting in a total of six engine stands. During this period the NACA Lewis Materials and Thermodynamics Division used four of the test cells to investigate jet engines constructed with alloys and other high temperature materials. The researchers operated the engines at higher temperatures to study stress, fatigue, rupture, and thermal shock. The Compressor and Turbine Division utilized another test cell to study a NACA-designed compressor installed on a full-scale engine. This design sought to increase engine thrust by increasing its airflow capacity. The higher stage pressure ratio resulted in a reduction of the number of required compressor stages. The last test cell was used at the time by the Engine Research Division to study the effect of high inlet densities on a jet engine. Within a couple years of this photograph the Prop House was significantly altered again. By 1960 the facility was renamed the Electric Propulsion Research Building to better describe its new role in electric propulsion.

Optical Diagnosis of Gas Turbine Combustors Being Conducted

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hicks, Yolanda R.; Locke, Randy J.; Anderson, Robert C.; DeGroot, Wilhelmus A.

2001-01-01

Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center, in collaboration with industry, are reducing gas turbine engine emissions by studying visually the air-fuel interactions and combustion processes in combustors. This is especially critical for next generation engines that, in order to be more fuel-efficient, operate at higher temperatures and pressures than the current fleet engines. Optically based experiments were conducted in support of the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology program in Glenn's unique, world-class, advanced subsonic combustion rig (ASCR) facility. The ASCR can supply air and jet fuel at the flow rates, temperatures, and pressures that simulate the conditions expected in the combustors of high-performance, civilian aircraft engines. In addition, this facility is large enough to support true sectors ("pie" slices of a full annular combustor). Sectors enable one to test true shapes rather than rectangular approximations of the actual hardware. Therefore, there is no compromise to actual engine geometry. A schematic drawing of the sector test stand is shown. The test hardware is mounted just upstream of the instrumentation section. The test stand can accommodate hardware up to 0.76-m diameter by 1.2-m long; thus sectors or small full annular combustors can be examined in this facility. Planar (two-dimensional) imaging using laser-induced fluorescence and Mie scattering, chemiluminescence, and video imagery were obtained for a variety of engine cycle conditions. The hardware tested was a double annular sector (two adjacent fuel injectors aligned radially) representing approximately 15 of a full annular combustor. An example of the two-dimensional data obtained for this configuration is also shown. The fluorescence data show the location of fuel and hydroxyl radical (OH) along the centerline of the fuel injectors. The chemiluminescence data show C2 within the total observable volume. The top row of this figure shows images obtained at an engine low-power condition, and the bottom row shows data from a higher power operating point. The data show distinctly the differences in flame structure between low-power and high-power engine conditions, in both location and amount of species produced (OH, C2) or consumed (fuel). The unique capability of the facility coupled with its optical accessibility helps to eliminate the need for high-pressure performance extrapolations. Tests such as described here have been used successfully to assess the performance of fuel-injection concepts and to modify those designs, if needed.

KSC-2013-4197

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-11-20

VAN HORN, Texas – The sun sets over a test stand at Blue Origin’s West Texas facility. The company used this test stand to fire its powerful new hydrogen- and oxygen-fueled American rocket engine, the BE-3, on Nov. 20. The BE-3 fired at full power for more than two minutes to simulate a launch, then paused for about four minutes, mimicking a coast through space before it re-ignited for a brief final burn. The last phase of the test covered the work the engine could perform in landing the booster back softly on Earth. Blue Origin, a partner of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, or CCP, is developing its Orbital Launch Vehicle, which could eventually be used to launch the company's Space Vehicle into orbit to transport crew and cargo to low-Earth orbit. CCP is aiding in the innovation and development of American-led commercial capabilities for crew transportation and rescue services to and from the station and other low-Earth orbit destinations by the end of 2017. For information about CCP, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Photo credit: NASA/Lauren Harnett

SRB Processing Facilities Media Event

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-01

Members of the news media view the high bay inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Inside the RPSF, engineers and technicians with Jacobs Engineering on the Test and Operations Support Contract, explain the various test stands. In the far corner is one of two pathfinders, or test versions, of solid rocket booster segments for NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program and Jacobs are preparing the booster segments, which are inert, for a series of lifts, moves and stacking operations to prepare for Exploration Mission-1, deep-space missions and the journey to Mars.

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, interior view of Dd ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit WCT. Photographic copy of photograph, interior view of Dd test cell with VO (Viking Orbiter)-75 spacecraft engine mounted for testing. (Viking was a Mars orbiter and lander mission.) The end of the engine nozzle is inserted into a diffuser in order to conduct exhaust gases out of the chamber. All piping and tubing is stainless steel. Note ports in background through which instrumentation wiring passes. Nozzles at top of view are part of an internal fire suppression (or "Firex") system. (JPL negative no. 384-9428, 24 April 1972) - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand D, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Development and application of the double V type flame stabilizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongbin; Wang, Jigen

1994-06-01

The double V type flame stabilizer is an advanced stabilizer of low drag constructed with a big V type stabilizer overlapping to a small V type one. It has the advantages of good ignition performance, low drag loss, improved afterburning efficiency, low skin temperature, and leaner blowout boundary, hence the overall performance of turbojet engine will be improved and the flight reliability increased. More than 40 tests on stand rig, 10 tests in aircraft and 8 tests in flight were carried out for its birth, and thereafter, it started to be in service for the turbojet engine on a small batch scale in 1986-1987.

Quiet Clean Short Haul Experimental Engine

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-02-21

Program manager Carl Ciepluch poses with a model of the Quiet Clean Short Haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) conceived by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. The QCSEE engine was designed to power future short-distance transport aircraft without generating significant levels of noise or pollution and without hindering performance. The engines were designed to be utilized on aircraft operating from small airports with short runways. Lewis researchers investigated two powered-lift designs and an array of new technologies to deal with the shorter runways. Lewis contracted General Electric to design the two QCSEE engines—one with over-the-wing power-lift and one with an under-the-wing design. A scale model of the over-the-wing engine was tested in the Full Scale Tunnel at the Langley Research Center in 1975 and 1976. Lewis researchers investigated both versions in a specially-designed test stand, the Engine Noise Test Facility, on the hangar apron. The QCSEE engines met the goals set out by the NASA researchers. The aircraft industry, however, never built the short-distance transport aircraft for which the engines were intended. Different technological elements of the engine, however, were applied to some future General Electric engines.

Turbomachinery noise studies of the AiResearch QCGAT engine with inflow control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcardle, J. G.; Homyak, L.; Chrulski, D. D.

1981-01-01

The AiResearch Quiet Clean General Aviation Turbofan engine was tested on an outdoor test stand to compare the acoustic performance of two inflow control devices (ICD's) of similar design, and three inlet lips of different external shape. Only small performance differences were found. Far-field directivity patterns calculated by applicable existing analyses were compared with the measured tone and broadband patterns. For some of these comparisons, tests were made with an ICD to reduce rotor/inflow disturbance interaction noise, or with the acoustic suppression panels in the inlet or bypass duct covered with aluminum tape to determine hard wall acoustic performance. The comparisons showed that the analytical expressions used predict many directivity pattern features and trends, but can deviate in shape from the measured patterns under certain engine operating conditions. Some patterns showed lobes from modes attributable to rotor/engine strut interaction sources.

Tail Service Mast Umbilical Arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-02

A crane lifts the first Tail Service Mast Umbilical (TSMU) up for placement on a test stand at the Launch Equipment Test Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Two TSMUs will provide liquid propellants and power to the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage engine. Both TSMUs will connect to the zero-level deck on the mobile launcher, providing fuel and electricity to the SLS rocket before it launches on Exploration Mission 1. The TSMU will undergo testing and validation at the LETF to verify it is functioning properly. The center’s Engineering Directorate and the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program are overseeing processing and testing of the umbilicals.