2nd Firing Test of NASA's Next-Generation Rocket Engine (Photos)

SLS Test Fire Completion

NASA TV

White smoke appears as the fire is extinguished in the engine of NASA's SLS rocket booster engine, following a test firing on June 28, 2016.

SLS Test Extinguisher

NASA TV

A robotic arm applies an extinguishing fluid to the rocket booster engine following a two minute test fire on June 28, 2016.

SLS Engine Test Fire Ending

NASA TV

The engine for NASA's SLS rocket booster sputters to a halt after burning for more than 2 minutes during a test on June 28, 2016.

SLS Engine Test 2 Infographic

Jennifer Harbaugh/NASA

This NASA infographic explains the details of the qualification motor-2 test of the Space Launch Systems rocket booster engine, which took place on June 28, 2016.

SLS Booster

NASA TV

Thousands of people gathered in a viewing area outside Promontory, Utah, to watch a test of the SLS booster engine on June 28, 2016.

SLS Engine Test Wide View

NASA TV

A view from the spectator viewing area of the second engine test of the SLS rocket booster, on June 28, 2016.

SLS Test Firing Mid-View

NASA TV

A view of the fire and smoke emerging from NASA's SLS rocket booster engine, which underwent a test firing on June 28, 2016.

SLS Booster Test Long View

NASA TV

Fire sprays out the end of NASA's SLS rocket booster engine during a qualifying test on June 28, 2016.

SLS Engine Test Firing

NASA TV

A column of flame shoots out the back of NASA's SLS booster engine during a test on June 28, 2016.

SP_160628_sls_booster_test_fire.jpg

NASA

Huge Space Launch System Booster Test Fired In Utah | Video

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Calla Cofield
Senior Writer

Calla Cofield joined Space.com's crew in October 2014. She enjoys writing about black holes, exploding stars, ripples in space-time, science in comic books, and all the mysteries of the cosmos. Prior to joining Space.com Calla worked as a freelance writer, with her work appearing in APS News, Symmetry magazine, Scientific American, Nature News, Physics World, and others. From 2010 to 2014 she was a producer for The Physics Central Podcast. Previously, Calla worked at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City (hands down the best office building ever) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. Calla studied physics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is originally from Sandy, Utah. In 2018, Calla left Space.com to join NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory media team where she oversees astronomy, physics, exoplanets and the Cold Atom Lab mission. She has been underground at three of the largest particle accelerators in the world and would really like to know what the heck dark matter is. Contact Calla via: E-Mail – Twitter