For Release: Aug. 3, 1995

Jerry Berg/Steve Roy
Office of Media Services
(205) 544-0034

NOTE TO EDITORS: 95-48N

ENGINE TEST SCHEDULED AT MARSHALL CENTER FRIDAY

NASA engineers are scheduled to test fire on Friday afternoon an instrumented modified Space Shuttle Main Engine in the Advanced Engine Test Facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

The test firing, planned for 130 seconds duration, will have several objectives, including to characterize performance of the main engine under conditions that might expand the operational capabilities for the Space Shuttle and future reusable launch vehicles.

Also, the test will further assess new technologies, including an improved laser liquid-level sensing system for measuring liquid hydrogen levels in the fuel tank, and it will gather calibration data for an optical system to monitor the engine exhaust plume for anomaly detection.

The engine will be operated at a 90 per cent power level during the run. The test will be the sixtieth test firing of a modified Space Shuttle engine in the former Saturn V engine test facility.