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Any rocket engine design used on modern launch vehicles has undergone extensive ground testing, including multiple full mission duration burns on test stands.

• gozur88 10y ago
  That's true, but it doesn't really address the question. If the cracks are a result of flight stresses, test stand burns won't reveal them.
  • aeturnum 10y ago
    If the tests don't simulate flight stresses, they are bad tests.
    • xorxornop 10y ago
      It's simply not possible to test that. This much is obvious if you've thought deeply about the nature of rocket testing. You MUST fly to _really_ test.
    • scott113341 10y ago
      Is there a good way that you're aware of to simulate the acceleration experienced by a rocket?
      • JshWright 10y ago
        You're talking about a turbopump spinning at several tens of thousands of rpms, at very high temperature. Yes, a couple g's of lateral acceleration adds a bit too those stresses, but it's a fairly minor effect, I'm sure. I think it's vastly more likely they're cracking from the rotation speed, temperature, and pressure.
        • gozur88 10y ago
          I expect this is true, but I'd like to have a whole lot more information than the article contains. Specifically, under what conditions the cracks are observed.
          • JshWright 10y ago
            The cracks were observed during ground testing, several years ago.