The Air Force Research
Laboratory and NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center have awarded Aerojet
$7.9 million in added in-scope work on the Integrated Powerhead Program, which
is demonstrating propulsion technologies that will be applied to the main
engine for a military space launch vehicle or a shuttle replacement.
Aerojet has been working on the program since 1994 under a $15 million
contract to demonstrate advanced technology combustion devices on experimental
liquid hydrogen-oxygen engines. The contract modification, awarded
Sept. 20, 2000, extends the contract to December 2003 and increases the total
value to $23 million. Aerojet will now be updating designs for combustion
device hardware to demonstrate critical technologies for the next generation
main engine, including:
- Delivering long life formed platelet liner combustion chambers.
- Designing and delivering hydrogen cooled, milled channel nozzles.
- Designing and delivering oxidizer and fuel rich preburners.
- Supporting the test and evaluation of the technology demonstrator
engine.
“This significant change plays an important role in furthering our
recognition as the nation’s combustion device experts. It also supports our
strategic plan for a significant product development effort on the
2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle program in a joint venture with
Pratt & Whitney on the Cobra Engine,” said Tom Fanciullo, Aerojet program
manager for the Integrated Powerhead Program.
Testing of Aerojet’s products in the technology demonstrator engine will
be conducted at the NASA Stennis Space Center in 2003.
Aerojet, a GenCorp company, is a world-recognized aerospace and defense
leader principally serving the space electronics, missile and space
propulsion, and smart munitions and armaments markets. Aerojet’s Web site
address is http://www.aerojet.com .
