Continuing with testing
of the Delta IV Common Booster Core (CBC) and integrated RS-68 main engine
at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, Boeing [NYSE:BA] officials today announced
another successful test, the third in the program’s series of integrated
stage assembly tests.
Conducted at 3:32 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, the test lasted 145 seconds, ending
upon depletion of the liquid hydrogen fuel. The test demonstrated the
integrated performance and operation of the CBC and RS-68 through various
test sequences representing an actual flight, including engine shutdown
after complete fuel consumption.
“The success of this test is another important step toward our first launch
in early 2002,” said Dan Collins, vice president and program manager of
Delta and Titan programs. “The Delta team demonstrated the ability to detect
liquid hydrogen fuel depletion and the performance of the integrated
booster. This test validated these profiled areas and proved that our
engineering, manufacturing and integration processes also work. The Delta IV
program will now move forward with more advanced tests of the CBC and
RS-68.”
Other elements of this week’s test included a “planned recycle,” where
Boeing engineers halted the countdown, then resumed it, simulating an actual
countdown. Thrust vectoring or “gimbaling” of the main engine was conducted
to test the engine’s lateral movement. Throttle power settings ranging from
58 to 101 percent held at various duration times were also tested.
According to Collins, the quick-look data indicated that all aspects of
Tuesday’s demonstration were successful.
The next Delta IV CBC/RS-68 test will simulate a Delta IV Heavy mission
profile with a liquid oxygen depletion shutdown and related systems
performance.
Contacts
Robert Villanueva:
Boeing Communications:
Boeing Launch Hotline:
Boeing Delta Web Site:
(714) 372-2089
(714) 896-1301
(714) 896-4770
www.boeing.com/delta
