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geoffc
geoffc
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I was reading an Aviation Week article about the restart of SSME (RS-25E) production for SLS.

There is a paragraph in it that is interesting to me.

On the SLS, the engine inlets will receive colder liquid oxygen at higher pressures because the LOX tank is taller and the vehicle will have higher acceleration than the shuttle. Plumes from the SLS solid boosters will be much closer to the liquid-fuel engines, so the RS-25 nozzles will need shielding from the heat.

I get how you simulate the higher pressure/colder LOX intake on a test stand. That is just 'mechanics', or as Sheldon would say the doodads that engineers twiddle their time with.

But simulating thebuilding a test stand that can simulate a pair of SRB's at 2.8 Mlbs thrust firing closernearby? Good grief that is a LOT of energy to try and simulate. Plus 3 other SSME's in close proximity.

That is an awe inspiring amount of energy at play at the base of the SLS. (2.8 X 2 + .66 X 4 = 8.24 Mlbs of thrust). That is an amazing amount of heat to try and play around with.

The test stand for the SSME's is pretty robust, but it seems like this is an order of magnitude harder.

How will they test this extra shielding need in a meaningful way?

I was reading an Aviation Week article about the restart of SSME (RS-25E) production for SLS.

There is a paragraph in it that is interesting to me.

On the SLS, the engine inlets will receive colder liquid oxygen at higher pressures because the LOX tank is taller and the vehicle will have higher acceleration than the shuttle. Plumes from the SLS solid boosters will be much closer to the liquid-fuel engines, so the RS-25 nozzles will need shielding from the heat.

I get how you simulate the higher pressure/colder LOX intake. That is just 'mechanics', or as Sheldon would say the doodads that engineers twiddle their time with.

But simulating the SRB's at 2.8 Mlbs thrust firing closer? Good grief that is a LOT of energy to try and simulate. Plus 3 other SSME's in close proximity.

That is an awe inspiring amount of energy at play at the base of the SLS. (2.8 X 2 + .66 X 4 = 8.24 Mlbs of thrust). That is an amazing amount of heat to try and play around with.

The test stand for the SSME's is pretty robust, but it seems like this is an order of magnitude harder.

How will they test this extra shielding need in a meaningful way?

I was reading an Aviation Week article about the restart of SSME (RS-25E) production for SLS.

There is a paragraph in it that is interesting to me.

On the SLS, the engine inlets will receive colder liquid oxygen at higher pressures because the LOX tank is taller and the vehicle will have higher acceleration than the shuttle. Plumes from the SLS solid boosters will be much closer to the liquid-fuel engines, so the RS-25 nozzles will need shielding from the heat.

I get how you simulate the higher pressure/colder LOX intake on a test stand. That is just 'mechanics', or as Sheldon would say the doodads that engineers twiddle their time with.

But building a test stand that can simulate a pair of SRB's at 2.8 Mlbs thrust firing nearby? Good grief that is a LOT of energy to try and simulate. Plus 3 other SSME's in close proximity.

That is an awe inspiring amount of energy at play at the base of the SLS. (2.8 X 2 + .66 X 4 = 8.24 Mlbs of thrust). That is an amazing amount of heat to try and play around with.

The test stand for the SSME's is pretty robust, but it seems like this is an order of magnitude harder.

How will they test this extra shielding need in a meaningful way?

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geoffc
geoffc
  • 80.5k
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  • 229
  • 424

How do they simulate the SLS engine environment?

I was reading an Aviation Week article about the restart of SSME (RS-25E) production for SLS.

There is a paragraph in it that is interesting to me.

On the SLS, the engine inlets will receive colder liquid oxygen at higher pressures because the LOX tank is taller and the vehicle will have higher acceleration than the shuttle. Plumes from the SLS solid boosters will be much closer to the liquid-fuel engines, so the RS-25 nozzles will need shielding from the heat.

I get how you simulate the higher pressure/colder LOX intake. That is just 'mechanics', or as Sheldon would say the doodads that engineers twiddle their time with.

But simulating the SRB's at 2.8 Mlbs thrust firing closer? Good grief that is a LOT of energy to try and simulate. Plus 3 other SSME's in close proximity.

That is an awe inspiring amount of energy at play at the base of the SLS. (2.8 X 2 + .66 X 4 = 8.24 Mlbs of thrust). That is an amazing amount of heat to try and play around with.

The test stand for the SSME's is pretty robust, but it seems like this is an order of magnitude harder.

How will they test this extra shielding need in a meaningful way?