Static Fire of Launch Abort System's Jettison Motor is First Full-Scale
Propulsion Test for Orion Program
SACRAMENTO, Calif. and DULLES, Va., April 7, 2008
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company and Orbital
Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that together the two
companies successfully conducted a static firing of the jettison motor, a
key component of the Launch Abort System (LAS) for NASA's Orion next
generation human spaceflight program. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:
LMT) is the prime contractor for the Orion project, which is part of NASA's
Constellation Program to send human explorers back to the moon and then
onward to Mars and other destinations in the solar system.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080407/AQM026)
Orion's LAS, being developed by Orbital, is a new capability that will
allow the astronaut crew to safely escape in the event of an emergency
during pad operations or during the ascent phase of the flight. Aerojet is
responsible for the jettison motor, which would be used on every mission to
jettison the LAS when it is no longer needed. The successful test firing of
the jettison motor increases the technical readiness of the LAS and is a
major operational accomplishment as the first full-scale rocket propulsion
test for the Orion program.
Commenting on the successful static fire test, Orbital's LAS Program
Manager Henri Fuhrmann said, "The Aerojet propulsion team has done an
outstanding job on the jettison motor project as evidenced by the
successful full-scale test firing. With each milestone achieved, the Launch
Abort System team is closer to delivering and testing the first full system
of the Orion program, which is scheduled for late this year."
The full-scale jettison motor test successfully met test plan
objectives, providing data to validate analytical models. It also
demonstrated that the system's design criteria and manufacturing processes
are in place for the jettison motor system to meet the technical and
scheduling requirements of the LAS. The Orion LAS development program
includes several planned demonstration flights, including a pad abort
demonstration at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico at
the end of the year.
"This focused 18-month effort to design and fabricate the motor and
conduct a high-fidelity static firing has proven the performance objectives
of the Launch Abort System jettison motor and is a key milestone for the
upcoming Orion Pad Abort-1 flight test," said Aerojet President Scott
Neish.
The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle is an advanced capsule design
utilizing state-of-the-art technology that will be the successor to the
Space Shuttle in transporting humans to and from the International Space
Station, the moon and other destinations beyond low-Earth orbit. The LAS
design, using Orbital's proven small rocket technology and Aerojet
propulsion systems, is a key element in vastly improving the safety of the
flight crew as compared to current human space systems.
About Aerojet
Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader principally
serving the missile and space propulsion 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.
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small rockets and space systems for
commercial, military and civil government customers. The company's primary
products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low Earth-orbit,
geosynchronous Earth-orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications,
remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-rated space systems
for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets
that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are
used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also offers space-related
technical services to government agencies and develops and builds
software-based transportation management systems for public transit
agencies and private vehicle fleet operators. More information about
Orbital can be found at http://www.orbital.com.
SOURCE Aerojet
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Related links:
http://www.aerojet.com
http://www.GenCorp.com http://www.orbital.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080407/AQM026
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org AP PhotoExpress
Network: PRN3 PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.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; or Barron
Beneski of Orbital, +1-703-406-5528, Beneski.Barron@Orbital.com
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