NASA Tests RS-25 Engine at Stennis Space Center

At NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, a team led by Danny Nowlin conducted a hot fire test of RS-25 engine No. 10001 on October 21, 2026. The test lasted almost eight and a half minutes, simulating the engine's launch performance with a 111% power level. This test is a crucial step in proving the engine's flightworthiness before it is used in an Artemis mission. The RS-25 engine will produce up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust, along with three other engines, to launch the SLS rocket. Although this engine will not be used in flight, the test will provide valuable data to improve engine performance and reliability.