SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aerojet, a
GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, announced today that Jules Verne -- the first
of the European Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATV) -- has successfully
launched aboard the European expendable launch system, Ariane 5, out of
Kourou in French Guiana.
For the mission, Aerojet delivered four R-4D main engines that will be
used to accomplish the early circularization maneuvers and docking
simulations. NASA announced that the ATV reached its preliminary orbit
about nine minutes after liftoff. When preliminary orbit was achieved, the
ATV engines fired for eight minutes to place the spacecraft into an
elliptical orbit. About 45 minutes later, a second engine firing
circularized the ATV's orbit prior to spacecraft separation. Once in orbit,
the ATV will undergo four weeks of extensive systems tests, including two
approaches to the station to simulate rendezvous and contingency
techniques. "Aerojet is pleased to support its international partners,"
said Julie Van Kleeck, Aerojet vice president for Space. "The launch of the
first of the ATV transfer vehicles paves a new way of reaching the
International Space Station."
Aerojet's R-4D bipropellant main engines are a derivative of the
engines flown on Apollo. They are used for achieving orbit on many
geosynchronous satellites and also will be used on the next generation
Orion Service Module. The R-4D engines were delivered to the prime
contractor, EADS Astrium, for use on the Jules Verne ATV.
Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader principally
serving the missile and space propulsion, defense and armaments markets.
GenCorp is a leading technology-based manufacturer of aerospace and defense
products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities
related to the entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's excess real
estate assets. Additional information about Aerojet and GenCorp can be
obtained by visiting the companies' Web sites at http://www.Aerojet.com and
http://www.GenCorp.com.
SOURCE Aerojet
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Related links:
http://www.aerojet.com
http://www.GenCorp.com
CONTACT:
Glenn Mahone, +1-202- -302- -9941,
Glenn.Mahone@Aerojet.com, or Kristin Conner, +1-916-355-2143,
Kristin.Conner@Aerojet.com, both of Aerojet; or Linda Cutler of
GenCorp, +1-916-351-8650, Linda.Cutler@GenCorp.com
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