NASA Fires RS-25 Engine in Latest Artemis Test
NASA conducted a ground firing of RS-25 engine No. 10001 at Stennis Space Center on October 21, 2026. The 500-second test reached 111% power and checked flight components and a new nozzle thermal protection system for upcoming Artemis flights. Although this developmental engine will not fly, the data will help improve performance and reliability.
NASA ran a 500-second hot fire of RS-25 engine No. 10001 on Oct. 21, 2026, at the Fred Haise Test Stand in Mississippi. The burn matched the duration SLS engines experience during launch and pushed power to 111%, a level tied to thrust goals for new production engines.
The test checked flight components for later Artemis missions and evaluated a new nozzle thermal protection system. Although engine 10001 is developmental and won't fly, NASA and L3Harris will use the results to refine performance and reliability.
The test may strengthen confidence in RS-25 hardware for future Artemis missions, potentially affecting engineers, contractors, and suppliers who build and certify propulsion systems. Reliable engine data could reduce technical risk for crews and payloads on SLS flights, while the public may see indirect benefits through continued spaceflight capabilities and workforce development. Because the engine is developmental, near-term effects are likely limited to testing and validation rather than immediate mission changes.