Record #00358Space archive
Most Powerful Solid-Propellant Rocket Motor
The five-segment solid rocket booster developed for NASA's Space Launch System produces a cited peak sea-level thrust of approximately 14,590 kN per motor, a record in the solid-propellant motor category.
ARCHIVE VISUAL / 01
NOT TO SCALE
Current Record
14590kN
Current record value
- Location
- Northrop Grumman test facility, Promontory, Utah, USA · Northrop Grumman Promontory solid rocket motor test facility · United States
- Start date
- 2009-09-10
- Record status
- VerifiedView verification details ↗Report an issue
Overview
Archive NoteThe SLS five-segment booster developed from the four-segment Space Shuttle solid rocket motor, incorporating more propellant and revised burn characteristics.
Guinness reports a single-motor peak sea-level thrust of 14,590 kN and a first successful firing in 2009. NASA separately reported about 3.6 million pounds-force (roughly 16,000 kN) from a five-segment booster ground test at Promontory in 2022. These published figures concern different reports or test conditions and should not be merged into one identical measurement.
Record history
1 Milestones- 14590 kNSLS Five-Segment Solid Rocket BoosterNorthrop Grumman test facility, Promontory, Utah, USACurrent Record
Sources
Evidence & ReferencesVerification basis and limitations
VerifiedThe record conclusion has sufficient verification support.
Basis: direct confirmation by an authority
The original Guinness entry explicitly recognizes the engine's maximum thrust within the stated propulsion category.
- Verification assessment
- 2026-11-05
- Last editorial review
- 2026-11-05
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