The test was the first test of the new booster, the most powerful ever built and successfully fired. There will be one more certifying test for the booster before two of them will be attached to the core stage and used to lift the Orion Crew Vehicle into space. The initial life capability of two of these boosters working in tandem will be 70-130 metric tons. The booster burned 5 tons of propellant per second and in total produced 3.6 million pounds of thrust in the two minutes it was fired.
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| Comparison of SLS to other rockets Courtesy of nasa.gov |
Because the SLS is going to be launching heavier payloads than any rocket system before it, there needs to be more thrust. To accomplish this there was another section added to the booster making it a five section, 177 foot (17 story) tall contraption. The SLS booster generates 20% greater average thrust than the SRBs on the Space Transportation System (Space Shuttle) and has 24% greater total impulse.
This test was a particularly awesome moment to be present for because it represents the start of a new era in space exploration. To stand and see the fireball shoot out the end and then feel the ground shake as the sound and shock waves hit, was a breathtaking experience.
In that video you can hear/see the difference in time between when the booster was ignited (FUN FACT: Once SRB's are ignited there is no off switch. They burn till the very end). Keep in mind that it was that bright and that loud from 2 miles away! (We did the calculations to determine that in the car ride home because we're cool like that)
Today was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. It was so incredible to be a witness to the new era of space exploration. As my friend so eloquently put it, "May this be not a once in a lifetime, but a first in a lifetime."
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