ALTITUDE DEVELOPMENTAL TESTING OF THE J-2 ROCKET ENGINE IN PROPULSION ENGINE TEST CELL (J-4) (TESTS J4-1801-28 THROUGH J4-1801-33)

Eleven firings of the Rocketdyne J-2 rocket engine were conducted in Test Cell J-4 of the Large Rocket Facility. The firings were accomplished at pressure altitudes ranging from 85,000 to 109,000 ft at engine start to investigate (1) engine start transients for both S-IVB first burn and (2) 80-min orbital restart with the engine in a 230,000-lbf-thrust configuration. Engine components were thermally conditioned to temperatures representative of an S-IVB first burn or 80-min orbital restart. The total accumulated firing duration for the four test periods was 188.43 sec. Engine operation appeared to be satisfactory.