Northrop Grumman test fires strong engine for ULA’s Vulcan rocket

The engine fired for approximately 90 seconds, producing nearly 449,000 pounds of thrust.

WASHINGTON – Northrop Grumman announced on Jan.21 that it has completed a static shot of the solid strap-on thruster it developed for United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket.

Test firing of the 63-inch-diameter epoxy graphite engine (GEM 63XL) took place Thursday at the company’s facilities in Promontory, Utah.

Northrop Grumman completed the first ground test of the GEM 63XL in August. The engine in August shot in cold temperature during a qualification test. This last test was at a hot temperature to validate the engine for flight.

In the Jan. 21 static test, the engine fired for about 90 seconds, producing nearly 449,000 pounds of thrust to validate the engine’s performance, the company said. The firing also checked the internal insulation of the engine, the ballistics of the propellant grain and the high temperature nozzle.

The GEM 63XL version is 72 feet long while the GEM 63 engines used by ULA in its Atlas 5 rocket are 66 feet long. The GEM 63XL engines are expected to fly on the Vulcan Centaur rocket when it first launches later this year.