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Astronomy and spaceflightThu 22 Oct 2026 · 11 of 11

NASA hot‑fire test of RS‑25 engine No. 10001 supports Artemis missions

Verified · 6/6 supported1 cited · 1 min read

nasa.gov reports that NASA tested RS‑25 engine No. 10001 on Oct. 21 at the Fred Haise Test Stand, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi . nasa.gov reports that the developmental engine was fired for almost eight‑and‑a‑half minutes (500 seconds), the same duration as RS‑25 engines during SLS launches . nasa.gov reports that operators ran the engine up to 111% power level, matching the thrust needed for new production engines for SLS and Orion missions . nasa.gov reports that the test’s main objectives were to acceptance‑test RS‑25 flight components for future Artemis missions and to validate a new thermal protection system for the engine nozzle . nasa.gov reports that, although the developmental engine will not fly, the hot‑fire test provides data to improve engine performance and reliability .

Why it matters. The data gathered will help improve RS‑25 engine performance and reliability for upcoming Artemis launches, benefiting NASA and its partners .

Earlier on Astronomy and spaceflight

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