‘NASA X’ TV Show Features PurePower Engine, Technologies

NASA TV is featuring the PurePower® engine and its technologies as part of the premiere episode ("Environmentally Responsible Aviation") of its new "NASA X" program. NASA interviewed Paul Adams, senior vice president, Operations & Engineering; Alan Epstein, vice president, Technology & Environment; and Michael Winter, chief engineer, Technology, in East Hartford, Conn.

The focus of the PurePower section of the program is Pratt & Whitney's research work on high bypass jet engines with the NASA Glenn Research Center for basic technologies P&W will develop for the second generation of Geared Turbofan™ engines.

Learn more about the "NASA X" program on its Facebook page. 

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)

Boeing to Further Develop Commercial Crew Space Transportation System under NASA CCiCap Award Supported by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

NASA has selected Boeing to receive $460 million in additional funding to further develop the Boeing Commercial Crew Transportation System in the third round of the Commercial Crew Program, Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap). In its partnership with Boeing on CCiCap, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will continue to support development of the service module with integrated launch-abort propulsion system for the Commercial Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft. The CST-100 spacecraft is designed to transport people to the International Space Station and other low-Earth orbit destinations.

The CCiCap agreement between NASA and Boeing focuses on the design and development of a fully-integrated commercial crew transportation system that includes spacecraft, launch vehicle and ground and mission systems. In its partnership with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will continue to provide support on propulsion system design maturation leading to the Critical Design Review, and complete development testing on key propulsion system components on the CST-100 spacecraft.

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

Coverage:

• NASA Taps Three Companies To Develop New Spacecraft (Los Angeles Times)
• Rocketdyne Gets Good News on Space Vehicle Program (San Fernando Valley Business Journal)
• SpaceX, Boeing Big Winners in NASA Competition for New Spacecraft (McClatchy-Tribune News Service)
• NASA Awards $1.1 Billion to 3 Companies to Develop Spacecraft (Washington Post)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Completes CCDev-2 Hot-Fire Testing on Thruster for NASA's Commercial Crew Program

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed a series of hot-fire tests on a service module thruster for Boeing's Commercial Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft. The CST-100 spacecraft, designed to transport people to the International Space Station and other low-Earth orbit destinations, is in development under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The Orbital Maneuvering and Attitude Control System (OMAC) thruster is a key component for safe, reliable and affordable commercial crew transportation. It is designed for multiple uses, including maneuvering the CST-100 spacecraft during orbit and re-entry, and providing axial thrust, roll control and separation from the launch vehicle if an abort becomes necessary.

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

Coverage:

• Pratt completes thrust test on space station craft (Hartford Business Journal)
• Thruster Tests Completed for Boeing's CST-100 (Space Fellowship)
• Rocketdyne finishes Boeing CST-100 thruster testing (Flight International)
• Boeing says its space taxi engines have passed a testing hurdle (Huntsville Times)
• Thruster Tests Completed for Boeing's CST-100 (NASA)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Completes Latest Hot-Fire Test on Launch Abort Engine for Boeing’s CST-100 spacecraft

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company, successfully completed a full-mission duration hot-fire test on a Launch Abort Engine (LAE) for Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft. The CST-100 spacecraft, designed to transport people to the International Space Station and other low-Earth orbit destinations, is in development under NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program.

The Service Module and Integrated Launch Abort propulsion system is a critical system for safe, reliable and affordable commercial crew transportation. It is designed to push the crew capsule to safety if an abort is necessary. If unused for an abort, the same propellant load can be used for other parts of the mission, including re-boosting the space station orbit. The LAE test was conducted in the California desert.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

• PWR Analyzing CST-100 Abort Engine Tests (Aviation Week)
• Latest Hot Fire Test on Launch Abort Engine for Boeing CST 100 Spacecraft Completed (Space Travel)
• Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Hot-Fires Launch Abort Engine (Space Fellowship)
• Pratt & Whitney Tests Abort Engine for New Spacecraft (San Fernando Valley Business Journal)
• Boeing commercial spacecraft hits major milestones (Flight International)
• Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Hot-Fires Launch Abort Engine (Product Design & Development)
  

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Completes J-2X Powerpack Test

Video Credit: NASA / SSC

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed the first in a series of powerpack hot-fire tests on the J-2X engine, which is being developed for NASA to power humans further into space than ever before. Powerpack tests are designed to evaluate the full range of operating conditions of the engine's components during flight. NASA selected the J-2X as the upper-stage propulsion for the Space Launch System (SLS) – an advanced heavy-lift launch vehicle.

The powerpack consists of components on the top portion of the engine, including the gas generator, the oxygen and fuel turbopumps, and the ducts, valves, and controls that bring the propellants together to drive the turbines of the two turbopumps. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will perform hot-fire tests on the powerpack through summer, using varying pressures, temperatures and flow rates to ensure the engine is ready to support exploration to low-Earth orbit, Mars and possibly beyond.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

• NASA Performs J-2X Powerpack Test (RedOrbit)
• J-2X engine powerpack tested (UPI)
  

NASA: J-2X Begins New Series of Tests

NASA is set to begin a series of tests on the powerpack for the J-2X engine. The tests, at the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center, will evaluate a full range of operating conditions.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is developing the J-2X engine to power the upper stage of the NASA Space Launch System.

Click here for additional information - and photos - from NASA.

Coverage:

• Stennis testing next generation space flight engines (The Picayune Item)
  

NASA: RS-25D Engines Heading to Stennis

NASA is moving 15 RS-25D engines from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The RS-25D engines - better known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine - are being "repurposed" to power the core stage of the Space Launch System, according to NASA.

The RS-25D engine is built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Click here for a full story - and photos - from NASA.

Additional Coverage:

• NASA begins moving shuttle main engines to Stennis for future use (Huntsville Times)
• NASA Moves Shuttle Engines From Kennedy To Stennis (Space Travel)
  

NASA: J-2X Combustion Stability Test a Success

The J-2X rocket engine passed its first combustion stability test on Dec. 1, according to NASA. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is developing the J-2X engine, which has been selected by NASA as an upper-stage engine for the Space Launch System (SLS).

Coverage:

• NASA Fires Up Engine for Giant New Rocket (SPACE.com)
  

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
  

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NASA Complete Hot-Fire Test on J-2X Engine

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NASA successfully completed a 500-second duration hot-fire test on NASA’s J-2X engine, a key step in demonstrating the propulsion system’s ability to power humans further into space than ever before. NASA selected the J-2X as an upper-stage engine for the Space Launch System (SLS) – an advanced heavy-lift launch vehicle.

The hot-fire test ran full-duration for 500 seconds in the A2 test stand at John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The engine ran at a 100 percent power level to gain a better understanding of how the engine behaves during a full mission.

Read the Pratt & Whitney press release here.

Coverage:

• J-2X test-firing a milestone for NASA (Florida Today)
• NASA hits firing goal of 500 seconds with first new J-2X engine (Huntsville Times)
• NASA Test Fires Engine for Giant New Rocket (SPACE.com)
• SLS J-2X Upper Stage engine enjoys successful 500 second test fire (NASAspaceflight.com)
• NASA runs J-2X engine 500 seconds in ground firing (Spaceflight Now)
• NASA's New Upper Stage Engine Passes Major Test (NASA)