Assembling a 12 milion horsepower engine in 2 minutes

[Hog]

Shown below is the assembly of a RS-25D rocket engine, time lapsed down into 2 minutes. This engine is ME-2063 which is the only other RS-25D that has not been previously flown on a Space Shuttle. The other "rookie" engine is ME-2062.
Aside from ME-2062 and 2063 there are 14 other RS-25D engines that will be flown on NASA's new SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, with its debut launch scheduled for 2018. The mission is dubbed SLS-1(Space Launch System #1) or EM-1(Exploration Mission #1) is set to liftoff NLT(No Later Than) November, 2018.

SLS/EM-1 will use 4 RS-25D's including(all with extensive STS=Space Transportation System aka Space Shuttle experience):
ME-2045 flew on STS-89, 95, 92, 102 and 105 in Block IIA configuration and STS-110, 113, 121, 118, 127, 131 – and the final shuttle mission with Atlantis on STS-135 – in its full Block II configuration.
ME-2056 flew on STS-104 and 109 Block IIA, and STS-114 and STS-121 as a full Block II engine
ME-2058 flew on STS-116, 120, 124, 119, 129 and 133
ME-2060 flew on STS-127, 131 and STS-135

The Contingency Main Engines(or backup engines) for SLS/EM-1 are:
ME-2047 flew as a Block IIA configuration on STS 91, 96, 99,106, 98, 104, 109 and in fully evolved Block II configuration on STS 112, 115, 118, 123, 126, 128, 132, and 134.
ME-2059 flew in full Block II configuration on STS 117, 122, 125, 130, & STS 134
ME-2062 never been flown, built circa 2010(last engine built while Shuttle was still operational)
ME-2063 this "rookie" has also never been flown and built circa 2015.

And here is the 2 minute time lapsed video of ME-2063 being built by the crew at Aerojet/Rocketdyne. The 1st RS-25D that they have built since 2010.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtE_61ZR67Y



ME-2063 is one of 4 RS5's scheduled to propel SLS's 1st "manned" mission with the new "Orion" capsule sometime in 2021.

These RS_25D engines were flown on Space Shuttles in groups of three engines. While used during the STS (Shuttle) program, these engines were referred to as SSME's or (Space Shuttle Main Engines). On Shuttle they were used as a re-useable engine. On the SLS rocket, these beauties will be used in groups of 4 engines on the "core stage" at a time and will only be used one single time before being dropped into the Indian Ocean.

There are enough RS-25 engines for 4 SLS missions, totaling 16 Main Engines. After these 16 Main Engines are used up, NASA has contracted Aerojet/Rocketdyne to build 6 more next generation RS-25 engines. These engines will have a single use design which is hoped will drop the $60 million price tag of the current RS-25D engines substantially.

Helping the SLS rocket up off the pad up to about 2000mph, there will be 2 SRBs or Solid Rocket Boosters. These Shuttle Derived Solid Boosters will use 5 segments instead 4 segments used on Shuttle. Using the current RS-25D engines producing 1,670,000 lbs of thrust, along with 2 5 segment SRBs the SLS rocket will be capable of lifting 70 metric tons to Low Earth Orbit.
These 2 boosters will deliver 7,200,000 lbs of thrust for a total 1st stage thrust of 8,870,000 lbs for the SLS 1st stage.
Shuttle made 6,780,000 lbs of thrust,
Saturn V made 7,648,000lbs of thrust during 1st stage propulsion from its five F-1
engines.
In the mid 2020's NASA will procure a next-generation SRBs along with 4 RS-25 core stage engines and 4- RL-10 second stage engines which will boost the launch mass up to 130 metric tons to LEO.

SLS evolution (Block II Cargo and Manned versions of SLS will be taller than the mighty Saturn -V rocket used for the United States Moon shots)



Saturn V


The RS-25D fleet in Florida


Same RS-25D fleet as being stored at Stennis SPace Center in Louisiana awaiting testing on the Stennis test stands.


Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle which will be launched upon the SLS rocket.




There are some cool things coming down the pipe from NASA. In July 14, 2015 the "New Horizons" probe (launched January 19, 2006 (2006-01-19)) will pass within 10,000 km or 6,400 miles of Pluto. It takes communications 4.5 hours to travel one way or 9 hours round trip.

Boeing and Space-X will start supplying rides to and from the
International Space Station. Instead of paying the Russian company Energia $77 million per seat to send up American and Canadian Astronauts (and other countries) into orbit aboard the Soyuz-TMA
capsules and Soyuz FG rockets.

SLS will send Astronauts to a Near Earth Object(a meteor) possibly the Moon, and eventually (after 2030) to Mars.

Plus the Space Shuttle Program, Apollo, Gemini, Mercury, Hubble Space Telescope, plus any NASA rocket and craft that has been launched since 1957.

All funded on less the 1/2 cent of every federal budget dollar. Since 1957 when NASA was started, the space agency has been budgeted less than $800 billion for all 58 years of its existence. This included all the projects
listed above, plus, the Space Shuttle Program, Apollo, Gemini, Mercury, Hubble Space Telescope, plus any NASA rocket and craft that has been launched since 1957.


This is less than 1 year of funding for the entire United States military.

[Hog]

And here is the January 2015 test of Development engine 0525

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG8odscqlfI

And same engine being testing in May 2015. 6 more tests (8 total) for DE-0525, totaling 3,500 seconds, then testing will begin on DE-0528, with a scheduled 10 tests for a total of 4,500 seconds..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz1L2-CjsIo


Interesting tidbits about the RS-25 engine

Minimum Power Level (MPL)=67% 316,100 lbs.
Rated Power Level (RPL)=100% 470,800 lbs.
Nominal Power Level (NPL)=104.5%=491,900 lbs.
Full Power Level (FPL)=109%=512,900 lbs

Each Percent of throttle= approx. 4,700lbs
Throttle range 67%-109%
Chamber pressure at 109%=3008 psi

The Space Launch System will run each of the 4 RS-25 engines at 109% Full Power Level, whereas Shuttle ran its 3 RS-25s at 100% for liftoff then throttled up to 104.5% once the Shuttle stack cleared the tower. The only time Shuttle would have run her engines at 109% would have been during a very serious contingency, such as 1 or 2 engines going down requiring Full Power to save the crew and vehicle. 109% FPL was very hard on the Main Propulsion System(MPS) causing damage. Since the RS-25 will be used in the expendable role during SLS usage, and not fully reuseable like it was during Shuttle, 109%FPL on all 4 engines will be used.

Pegasus barge which was used to transport Shuttle External Tanks(ET) to KSC has been lengthened in order to transport new core stages(with its 4 engines) from Stennis after "green testing- or firing all 4 engines at once on a test stand-similar to F-1 tests of Saturn V 1st stages to KSC for launch.




Test of the Sound Suppression Water System(SSWS) at Launch Complex 39-B. 300,000 gallons of water are released onto the MLP/pad just before engine ignition and for a few seconds after the Shuttle/SLS rocket clears the tower. The water being flashed to steam helps to reduce/absorb acoustical energy that could otherwise damage the vehicle during engine/SRB ignition.




Picture of the modified Mobile Launch Platform(MLP) with its tall Launch Umbilical Tower, and an upgraded 6,000,000 lb.Crawler Transporter(CT). The CT was modified increase its lifting capacity from 5,400,000 kgs to 8,200,000 kgs or 12,000,000lbs to 18,000,000 lbs.



Artists impression of a Crewed version of SLS launching from LS 39-B.

[XfireZ51]

For the benefit the world has gotten from the original "space race", we should be spending 10times the current budget for NASA and space exploration. And it still wouldn't make any difference to the overall deficit. But it would provide 1000s times payback. Many times more than the F35 as an example.

[Hog]

Just this week, the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) has signed on for support for the ISS(International Space Station) until 2024. The more money an international partner contributes to the ISS, the more "credits" it receives. These credits can be used up in order to fly Astronauts, or for that country to fly experiments aboard the ISS.

Thus far Canada has contributed about $1.4 billion: in cash, Canadarm2, space suit technology and DEXTRE aka Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM). DEXTRE is used for fine operations that would usually be done by Astronauts during Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA). Because of this backing from 2020-2024 one Canadian Astronaut is guaranteed a flight to space by 2019, the other by 2024. At this time we only have 2 active Astronauts, both selected in 2009 Jeremy Hanson and David Saint-Jacques. After their 2 years of training, they became Astronauts. They should be riding upon American Commercial Crew Vehicles to and from the ISS, either aboard a Boeing CST-100 capsule or a Space Explorations crewed Dragon.

The standing CSA budget is between $359-$500 million a year, with allowances for special projects.
CSA was awarded a preliminary contract to build Lunar and Martian rovers.

The United States and Russia are the only other ISS partners to sign on past 2020. JAXA(Japan) and ESA(European Space Agency) have not signed on past 2020.

I wish we could contribute more, there is much good that comes from space exploration.

Dextre


Space Explorations Dragon capsule


Boeing CST-100 Crewed capsule

[efnfast]

Hog, you come up with some of the best stuff!

[JimZRyd]

Awesome articles there Hog! Thanks!

[FU]

Good reading .