WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., today welcomed an announcement from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Jim Bridenstine that the agency will conduct the “Green Run” rocket testing campaign at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

The Green Run will test the first Space Launch System (SLS) core stage to ensure safety and performance. Currently under development, SLS will be the world’s most powerful rocket when completed and is the linchpin the NASA Artemis deep space exploration program. The Artemis program will bring American astronauts back to the Moon by 2024.

“The Green Run test is a critical step in the development of the Space Launch System rocket and will help protect the taxpayers’ significant investment in this project,” said Wicker. “Administrator Bridenstine’s decision to go forward with the Green Run is a vote of confidence in Stennis Space Center and its dedicated workforce. The road back to the Moon and on to Mars runs through Hancock County.”

“This is terrific news for Mississippi’s role in the Space Launch System program. We’ve long advocated Stennis as the best location for the next stage of engine propulsion testing, and it’s great that the leadership at NASA now agrees. The decision continues the tradition of the saying that if you want to go to space, you’ve got to first go through Mississippi,” Hyde-Smith said.

“NASA will do a Green Run test for the Space Launch System rocket prior to Artemis 1. This test firing of the engines will ensure the safety of our astronauts and increase the probability of a successful Moon landing in 2024 by helping to discover potential issues earlier rather than later in the process,” Bridenstine said.

The Commerce Committee exercises jurisdiction over NASA.

See the announcement from NASA here.