Fwd: ULA Chooses Orbital ATK Over Russian Engine for New US Rocket Booster

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: September 23, 2015 at 10:19:39 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: ULA Chooses Orbital ATK Over Russian Engine for New US Rocket Booster

 

 

 

 

 

ULA Chooses Orbital ATK Over Russian Engine for New US Rocket Booster

© AP Photo/ John Raoux

 

01:53 23.09.2015(updated 02:01 23.09.2015) Get short URL

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ULA has signed an agreement confirming Orbital ATK as the sole provider of solid rocket boosters for ULA's Atlas V and Vulcan.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — United Launch Alliance (ULA) has signed an agreement confirming Orbital ATK as the sole provider of solid rocket boosters for ULA's Atlas V and Vulcan launch vehicles effective in 2019, the two companies announced in a statement.

"We have relied for decades on Orbital ATK's industry leading rocket motor technology, which is ideally suited to support our future rocket launch plans," ULA's President and CEO Tory Bruno said in the statement on Tuesday.

The deal confirms ULA's determination not to follow a path of cooperation with Russia to provide the Russian RD-180 engine for the next generation boosters.

© AP Photo/ Maxim Marmur

United Launch Alliance Picks US Rocket Engine Over Rival Russian One

 

According to the statement, the design of two new rocket motors will significantly lower the price to ULA and to the US government.

"With this strategic partnership, ULA and Orbital ATK will offer customers better value and reliable access to space," Orbital ATK President and CEO David Thompson said.

Development of the new solid rocket boosters will commence immediately to support their introduction on ULA's Atlas V vehicle in late 2018 and on ULA's Vulcan vehicle in mid-2019, the statement noted.

The new solid motor booster agreement expands the long-term relationship between ULA and Orbital ATK that already includes the supply of composite structures, nozzles, propellant tanks and booster separation motors for the current versions of Delta IV and Atlas V rockets.

In addition, ULA will supply two Atlas rockets to provide launch services for Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on cargo delivery missions to the International Space Station for NASA in late 2015 and early 2016, according to the statement.

ULA has successfully delivered more than 95 satellites to orbit.

 

© 2015 Sputnik All rights reserved. 

 

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 Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:27pm EDT

 

UPDATE 1-

Launch provider picks Orbital ATK rocket motors in Aerojet setback

(Adds Aerojet comment)

By Andrea Shalal

(Reuters) - United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co, on Tuesday said it had selected Orbital ATK as the sole provider of solid rocket motors for its Atlas V and Vulcan launch vehicles from 2019.

The news spells a serious setback for rival engine maker Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc, which currently supplies solid rocket motors to ULA for the Atlas rocket. Industry sources said the decision could force Aerojet to re-evaluate the future of the large Sacramento facility where it builds the motors, particularly if it loses out on other orders.

It follows Boeing's announcement last week that ULA's owners had rejected a $2 billion cash bid by Aerojet to take over ULA.

Aerojet spokesman Glenn Mahone said the company would keep supplying solid rocket motors to ULA until 2019, and would aggressively go after a contract to replace the U.S. Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as potential commercial orders.

"We remain committed to our solid rocket business which provides very competitive and reliable products to the marketplace," Mahone said.

ULA said it had agreed to a "long-term strategic partnership" with Orbital ATK, and said the company would be the only provider of solid rocket boosters for ULA's Atlas V and Vulcan launch vehicles, effective in 2019.

"As ULA transforms the space lift industry, strong partners such as Orbital ATK are critical to reducing cost, introducing cutting-edge innovation and continuing our focus on mission success," Tory Bruno, ULA president and chief executive officer said in a statement.

Under this partnership, Orbital ATK is investing in the design, development and qualification of two new rocket motors with design similarities, ULA said. It said the motors would help to significantly lower the price of the motors.

ULA said the new solid rocket boosters would be introduced on ULA's Atlas V vehicle in late 2018 and on ULA's new Vulcan vehicle in mid-2019.

Orbital ATK already supplies composite structures, nozzles, propellant tanks and booster separation motors for the current versions of Delta IV and Atlas V rockets.

In addition, ULA will supply two Atlas rockets to provide launch services for Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on cargo delivery missions to the International Space Station for NASA in late 2015 and early 2016.

Orbital ATK is also developing a fully integrated third stage to launch NASA's Solar Probe Plus mission on ULA's Delta IV Heavy rocket in 2018. 

 

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Lisa Shumaker)

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. 

 

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