December 15, 2014

Provided by Megan Davidson, NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center

Take a look at your current devices. Can you imagine swapping that smartphone for a gigantic cellphone from the 1980s? Surfing the Internet with dial-up speed? Working out to your favorite music with a cassette player?

Todays technology is better, faster and more innovative. People have to keep up with the rapidly changing times, and so does the brain for the RS-25 rocket engine.

Image: The engine controller unit allows communication between the vehicle and the engine, relaying commands to the engine and transmitting data back to the vehicle. Engineering model controllers are being tested at the Marshall Center and Stennis Space Center. Credit: NASA/MSFC

The engine controller unit on the RS-25 formerly known as the space shuttle main engine helped propel all of the space shuttle missions to space. It allows communication between the vehicle and the engine, relaying commands to the engine and transmitting data back to the vehicle. The controller also provides closed-loop management of the engine by regulating the thrust and fuel mixture ratio while monitoring the engines health and status.

Just like the ever-evolving computer, the engine controller unit needed a refresh to provide the capability necessary for four RS-25 engines to power the core stage of NASAs new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), to deep space missions. Thecore stage, towering more than 200 feet tall with a diameter of 27.6 feet, will store cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that will feed the vehicles RS-25 engines.

You cant put yesterdays hardware on todays engine, especially since many parts of the shuttle-era engine controller unit arent even made anymore, said Russ Abrams, avionics subsystem manager in the SLS Liquid Engines Office at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Marshall manages the SLS Program for the agency. We need the most updated control systems for this engine to meet SLS specifications and take us to places weve never been before in space.

Controller development is based heavily on the recent development experience with the J-2X engine controller. An engineering model RS-25 controller is being tweaked and tested at Marshall. At one of the centers test facilities, engineers are simulating the RS-25 in flight, using real engine actuators, sensors, connectors and harnesses.

A second engineering model controller and RS-25 engine also recently were installed on the A-1 test stand at NASAs Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Pending final preparation and activation work, the engine test series is anticipated to begin in 2015.

Go here to read the rest:

New "Brain" for Space Shuttle Engine is No Technological Flashback to the '80s