Aerojet, a GenCorp company, announced that its propulsion components assisted with today’s launch and payload insertion of the U.S. Air Force’s fourth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) spacecraft.
Aerojet’s 12 reaction control thrusters provided roll, pitch and yaw control during ascent of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Delta IV upper stage. The WGS satellite will also rely on Aerojet propulsion with the company’s 100-lbf bipropellant apogee engine being utilized to deliver the spacecraft to its final geosynchronous orbit. All WGS spacecraft have used Aerojet’s apogee engine for transfer to orbit.
“We value the important partnership that we have with the Air Force and understand the criticality of upgrading the military’s main communications infrastructure,” said Julie Van Kleeck, Aerojet vice president of Space and Launch Systems. “Aerojet propulsion is trusted to perform for a variety of Department of Defense programs and we’re pleased to help deliver mission success for the Air Force with WGS.”
Aerojet’s Redmond, Wash. team designed, developed and manufactured the Delta IV upper stage reaction control thrusters, as well as the WGS apogee engine. The Delta IV thrusters were delivered to ULA and the bipropellant apogee engine to The Boeing Company.
Every Delta IV mission to date has used Aerojet propulsion to help launch a variety of satellites for military and commercial customers.
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’ websites at http://www.Aerojet.com and http://www.GenCorp.com.
