Northrop Grumman has fired a five-segment solid rocket booster for NASA’s Space Launch System during a two-minute full-scale static fire test at the company’s facility in Promontory, Utah.
The Flight Support Booster-2 test was conducted to evaluate new materials and examine a new motor ignition system and an electronic thrust vector control system to guide the development of the next-generation Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension system.
In December 2021, Northrop secured a potential 10-year, $3.19 billion contract to develop the large solid rocket boosters that will provide more than 75 percent of the SLS heavy lift rocket’s initial thrust during lift-off.
The contract includes boosters and flight tests for Artemis IV through VIII and the BOLE boosters for Artemis IX.
“This opportunity for early learning on next-generation systems will help us develop an enhanced booster that is ready to support the greater payload demands of the SLS rocket through 2031,” said Wendy Williams, vice president of Propulsion Systems at Northrop.
