November 2nd, 2007 An amazing sight lit up and roared in the Utah desert Thursday (11-1-07) and it was witnessed by many wanting to check it out. Alliant Techsystems (ATK) test fired a reusable solid rocket motor, the type that is used to launch the space shuttle. Engineers test fired NASA's four segment reusable solid rocket motor at ATK's facility Box Elder County, Utah. The RSRM spewed a huge stream of fire and smoke as dozens of kids and kids at heart watched, listened and felt the power of the rocket at full throttle. The booster rocket generates an average of two point six million pounds of thrust. This is comparable to 12 jumbo jets running at full throttle. Engineers conduct the tests to maintain safety standards on the shuttle. The tests also prep engineers for the development of other rocket systems.