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SSME to RS-25: Challenges of Adapting a Heritage Engine to a New Vehicle ArchitectureA key constituent of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) architecture is the RS-25 engine, also known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). This engine was selected largely due to the maturity and extensive experience gained through 30-plus years of service. However, while the RS-25 is a highly mature system, simply unbolting it from the Space Shuttle and mounting it on the new SLS vehicle is not a "plug-and-play" operation. In addition to numerous technical integration and operational details, there were also hardware upgrades needed. While the magnitude of effort is less than that needed to develop a new clean-sheet engine system, this paper describes some of the expected and unexpected challenges encountered to date on the path to the first flight of SLS.
Document ID
20150016499
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ballard, Richard O.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2015
Publication Date
June 29, 2015
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
M15-4603
Meeting Information
Meeting: European Conference for Aeronautics and Space Sciences
Location: Krakow
Country: Poland
Start Date: June 29, 2015
End Date: July 3, 2015
Sponsors: Thales Alenia Space, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, European Space Agency, Safran Group
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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