Capabilities assessment for predicting strength characteristics of energy materials specimens by the results of monitoring parameters of acoustic emission in the preliminary test of specimens by loads that don’t exceed the limit value is the main purpose of the research, the results of which are discussed in this article. The experimental work has been fulfilled regarding the study of a fracture process and mechanical properties of specimens made of plasticized HMX during the trials under the conditions of compression and tension by using an acoustic emission method. The load-strain diagrams « » and the diagrams of acoustic emission parameters have been analyzed for a search of «exceptional» points in the acoustic emission diagrams, which can be used as a basis by developing a method of prediction. It has been revealed that the most informative parameters according to use for predicting of the mechanical characteristics limit of specimens are the number of acoustic emission events and the activity of acoustic emission, significant variation of which are observed in the elastic range of deformation of specimen. An «Exceptional» point in the form of a maximum of the activity of acoustic emission diagram allows to monitor the moment when the critical load is reached during the experiment visually. A possibility to reduce a load of the preloading has been studied. Based on a detailed analysis of the diagrams of acoustic emission parameters and load-strain diagrams and structuring by frequency of array data of acoustic emission it was been found that using of the high-frequency components of the acoustic emission for the mechanical properties of specimens analysis makes it possible to reduce the preload load to the level of compliance; it will allow to use tested specimens for other types of research. A set of check experiments was carried out, whose results provide support for a possibility to determine strength of parts made of plasticized HMX according to the results of preloading with an error comparable to a strength determination error under mechanical tests.