Displaying items by tag: solid propulsion

[ merged in 2013 in Aerojet Rocketdyne ]

Aerojet was an American rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Rancho Cordova, California, with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange, Gainesville (both in Virginia) and Camden, Arkansas.

Aerojet was owned by GenCorp. It was one of the rare companies that provide both solid rocket motors and liquid rocket engines. Its products include a range of motors, from main engines used on a number of NASA vehicles and ballistic missiles, down to station-keeping thrusters for spacecraft. The propulsion devices include rocket motors as large as the EELV Atlas V strap-on rocket boosters.

Aerojet provided almost all of the USA Army's tactical missile rocket motors. They develop and manufacture a range of air breathing ramjet and scramjet engines. They also do research in the area of electric ion and Hall effect thrusters.

Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known as ATK, is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally.

ATK is a pioneer in solid rocket propulsion systems, strategic missiles, missile defense, lightweight space deployables, solar arrays and satellite thermal management systems, while developing new technologies for small and micro satellites.

ATK’s human space capability includes solid rocket boosters, engineering services, astronaut tools and solar arrays. Its Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRM)  have been propelling the space shuttle since its beginning. In the commercial market ATK offers its Liberty Launch Vehicle, which includes a five-segment solid rocket first stage and liquid fueled upper stage to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). ATK is also developing the launch abort and attitude control motors for the Ares I Orion crew capsule, as well as the circular shape ultra-light solar arrays that will power the capsule.

Propulsion systems for  strategic missiles and missile defense systems is a core capability. ATK provides all three stages for the Minuteman III and Trident II D-5 missiles. In the missile defense arena, ATK also provides all three stages for the Ground-based Missile Defense (GMD) system. 

ATK’s involvement with Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) extends from launch vehicles to small and micro satellites. With ATK’s versatile product line of solid rocket motors, multiple launch vehicle configurations can be developed to support specific mission requirements.

The company’s small satellite capabilities include responsive development, constellation solutions, single-string and redundant avionics architectures. ATK also provides commercial boosters for the Delta rockets. The company is teamed with Lockheed Martin to provide the commercial Athena launch vehicle.