A sub-scale solid rocket motor designed to mimic NASA's Space Launch System, or SLS, booster design was successfully tested by engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.<br /><br />The 20-second firing tested new insulation materials on the 24-inch-diameter, 109-inch-long motor. The motor is a scaled down, low-cost replica of the solid rocket motors that will boost SLS off the launch pad. <br /><br />The test will help engineers develop and evaluate analytical models and skills to assess future full-scale SLS solid rocket motor tests. Marshall is leading the design and development of the SLS on behalf of the agency. The new heavy-lift launch vehicle will expand human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and enable new missions of exploration across the solar system.
