Watch: NASA's first engine test of 2017 came with an unexpected bonus – a stunning rainbow
Drones are now allowed to film the process.
The first test of the year on an RS-25 rocket at NASA’s Stennis space centre in Mississippi came with a surprise in the form of a rainbow. This stunning sight was captured by an overhead drone.
This test was carried out on the A-1 test stand on the engine that will be used to power the space launch system rocket. The recent opening of the restricted air space over Stennis let a drone capture photographs and videos of the test of development engine No. 0528, which finished its scheduled run of six minutes and 20 seconds.
The video of the test offers views of a beautiful rainbow near the stand.
“The test represents another step forward in development of the rocket that will launch humans aboard Orion deeper into space than ever before,” NASA officials said in the video description.
The rocket is expected to make its first uncrewed flight in 2018, which will involve orbiting the moon and releasing several cubesats for further research. A crewed test of the rocket with its Orion spacecraft could be scheduled for 2021.