Dec 18 1979
From The Space Library
NASA reported successful completion December 17 at NSTL in Mississippi of a full-duration 9-minute 10-second run of the Space Shuttle main-engine test article, a time longer than that needed to launch an actual Shuttle into orbit. This was the first time the whole system was operated for full duration. No problems occurred, and MSFC test managers said that all goals were achieved.
The test article consisted of a cluster of three main engines mounted in a simulated orbiter aft section, drawing propellants from a flight-type external tank. The three engines were throttled back from 100% rated power level to 90%, 80%, and 70%; engine gimbaling and pulsing were successful. To check out two-engine performance, one engine was cut off early as planned, and the remaining two were operated at 70% rated power level for the last 5 seconds of testing. (NASA Release 79-178; MSFC Release 79-133)
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