Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers Atlas V Upper Stage, Placing Critical Government Satellite into Orbit

[Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet, via YouTube]

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS successfully propelled a critical U.S. government satellite into orbit on Sept. 13, once again demonstrating the consistency and reliability of their rocket launch propulsion systems.  The spacecraft launched from Vandenberg Air Force Station in California on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.  The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust.  The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust.  The RD-180 is fueled by a kerosene/liquid oxygen mixture, provides an environmentally-clean operation, and uses an extremely efficient, high-pressured staged combustion cycle.  The high-pressure helium storage tanks on the Atlas V booster and upper stage were manufactured by ARDE, Inc., located in Carlstadt, N.J., a division of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Click here to view the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Click here to view the United Launch Alliance press release. (Page includes a photo gallery.)

Coverage:

• Top-secret satellite is launched from Vandenberg (Los Angeles Times)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers Atlas V Upper Stage, Placing Radiation Belt Storm Probes into Orbit

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS successfully propelled the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission into orbit, once again demonstrating the consistency and reliability of their rocket launch propulsion systems. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine. RD AMROSS LLC is a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NPO Energomash.

Built and managed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the RBSP includes two spacecraft designed to fly in elliptical orbits to study the planet’s radiation belts and help scientists better understand the sun’s influence on the Earth and near-Earth space. The mission is part of NASA’s Living with a Star Geospace program to explore fundamental processes that operate throughout the solar system, in particular those that generate hazardous space weather effects near the Earth and phenomena that could affect solar system exploration.


The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Click here to read the United Launch Alliance press release.

Coverage:

• NASA twin satellites to probe mysteries of the Van Allen belts (CNET News)
• Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's RL10 engine propels RBSP mission into orbit (Zecco)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers Atlas V Upper Stage

Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet, via YouTube

In another awesome display of consistent and reliable rocket launch propulsion, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS successfully propelled a critical U.S. government satellite into orbit on June 20. The spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust. The RD-180 is fueled by kerosene/liquid oxygen mixture, provides an environmentally-clean operation, and uses an extremely efficient, high-pressure staged combustion cycle.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release. 

Coverage:

• Atlas V Launches Launches NRO Spysat (Space Daily)
• Hush, Hush US Spy Satellite Blasts Off Atop Milestone Atlas Rocket (Universe Today)
• Air Force Launches US Spy Satellite on Secret Mission (SPACE.com) 

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Orbits Critical Communications Satellite for U.S. Military

Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet via YouTube

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne upperstage propulsion successfully orbited the second in a series of Advanced Extremely High-Frequency (AEHF) communications satellites for the U.S. military, once again demonstrating the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems. The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The AEHF is a joint service satellite communications system that will provide global communications for military troops within all services of the U.S. Department of Defense. The spacecraft will be used to relay highly secure and jam-resistant communications for the Armed Forces of the United States, the British Armed Forces, the Canadian Forces and the military of the Netherlands. When fully deployed, the system will consist of four spacecraft that travel in geostationary orbits.

The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust. The RD-180 is the only liquid oxygen/kerosene-fueled engine with an oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle flying in the United States today.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's press release.

Coverage:

• Second AEHF Military Communications Satellite Launched (Space Daily)
• Air Force launches advanced communications satellite (MSNBC)
• Next Generation Military Communications Satellite Launched for US Air Force (Universe Today)
• Satellite for secure war-time communications goes up (Spaceflight Now)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Powers 200th Mission of Centaur Rocket, Places Communications Satellite for U.S. Navy into Orbit

[Video credit: United Launch Alliance, via YouTube]

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne once again demonstrated the consistent reliability of its propulsion systems by successfully powering the Centaur upper-stage rocket on its 200th mission and placing the first in a series of Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) communications satellites for the U.S. Navy into orbit. The payload launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the Centaur is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The Atlas V Centaur upper stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust. The RD-180 is the only liquid oxygen/kerosene fueled engine with an oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle flying in the United States today.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Click here to read the United Launch Alliance press release. (Includes a photo gallery.)

Coverage:

• Atlas V lifts US Navy satellite into orbit (Flight International)
• Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne powers Centaur rocket placing U.S. Navy MUOS communications satellite into orbit (Avionics Intelligence)
  

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne to Power Centaur Rocket Mission

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will power the Centaur upper-stage rocket on its 200th mission and to place the first in a series of Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) communications satellites for the U.S. Navy into orbit on Feb. 16. The launch is scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10A4-2 engine providing the upper-stage propulsion.

The payload will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the Centaur is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10A4-2 engine, which delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust.

Editor's note: The launch has been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 24.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne: Smoke and Fire

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne powered 14 successful launches during 2011. Payloads included humans, cargo and satellites vital to space exploration, worldwide communication, navigation, defense, research and development and weather prediction.

You can view highlights from each launch in the video embedded in this post.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Boosts Latest Mars Rover to the Red Planet

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 26, 2011 – Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne demonstrated the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems by successfully boosting the Mars Science Laboratory rover, which will travel to the red planet to assess its habitability. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the Centaur upper stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The Atlas V Centaur upper stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust. The RD-180 is the only liquid oxygen/kerosene fueled engine with an oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle flying in the United States today.

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Coverage:

• L.A. Times: NASA launches largest-ever Mars rover
• National Journal: NASA Launches Mission to Mars
• Christian Science Monitor: For NASA's rover Curiosity, it's 'Mars or Bust!'
• San Fernando Valley Business Journal: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Ends 2011 Missions with Mars Rover Launch
• Reuters (via Montreal Gazette): Rover sniffs out possibility of life on Mars