Engine tested without a hitch

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - A 52-second test of an Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine Monday went without a hitch. Executives from NASA, Aerojet and Orbital Sciences Corp. were on hand for the flight acceptance test of the AJ26, which will be the Stage 1 engine for Orbital's Taurus II space launch vehicle. NASA formed a $1.9 billion contract with Orbital to launch eight cargo missions to the International Space Station through 2015. The Aerojet AJ26, originally made in Russia 50 years ago, was tested at the E-1 test stand at Stennis, which had to be adapted to fire the engine in the vertical position. (Source: Sun Herald, 02/07/11)