Thrusters a go at NASA

Despite a dismissive look from many for NASA these days, NASA is continuing to work on.

Today, they have been testing out the new J-2X rockets.

NASA:

Testing of the next-generation J-2X rocket engine continues to set standards. Last fall, the engine attained 100 percent power in just its fourth test and became the fastest U.S. rocket engine to achieve a full-flight duration test, hitting that 500-second mark in its eighth test. On, May 25, NASA recorded another first during a 40-second test of the engine on the A-2 Test Stand at John C. Stennis Space Center. For the first time, test conductors fired the J-2X in both the secondary and primary modes of operation, 20 seconds in each. Previous tests were run in one mode only; combining the two allowed operators to collect critical data on engine performance.  

The data will be used in continued development of the engine, which is being built to help carry humans deeper into space than ever before. ...

NASA still is working hard. It may not be the priority we'd like, for the time being. But it still has it's function. And like all of us, it still has it's dreamers and innovators.