NASA: rocket engines for new lunar program successfully tested

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Eight minute engine test at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi

Photo: NASA / Robert Markowitz HANDOUT / EPA

The US space agency NASA has successfully tested the rocket's engines for its new "Artemis" lunar program.

NASA announced that all four engines of the new Space Launch System (SLS) would have ignited at the same time during the test on Thursday in the Stennis Space Center in the state of Mississippi.

The test ignition lasted eight minutes as planned and generated a maximum thrust of 7.1 million Newtons.

During a test in January, the missile's main stage RS-25 engines had not worked as intended.

The test ignition stopped after one minute.

According to NASA, "no major repairs" were necessary on the rocket.

In the control center, the relief was great after the successful test on Thursday.

"The applause says a lot about how the team is feeling right now," said Nasa engineer Bill Wrobel, who is responsible for the test, in a live stream.

The mood is "pretty good" right now.

For the first time since 1972, NASA wants to bring astronauts to the moon with the huge SLS rockets and an Orion space capsule.

The "Artemis 1" mission is scheduled to start as a test flight to the moon at the end of this year.

Initially without a crew, she is supposed to orbit the moon and then return to earth.

With "Artemis 2" astronauts are to orbit the moon in 2023.

Only "Artemis 3" will actually land on Earth's satellite in 2024 with astronauts.

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cop / AFP