Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Boosts Government Satellite into Orbit

CANOGA PARK, Calif., March 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In another display of its commitment to national security, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne today successfully helped boost a satellite for the U.S. government from Cape Canaveral Air Force station, Fla.  The satellite was onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket, powered by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's RS-68 booster engine and an RL10B-2 upper-stage engine.  Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.  

"This is a proud moment for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, knowing our engines are providing the heavy-lift capabilities needed to place this government asset into space," said Dan Adamski, RS-68 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.  "We congratulate our United Launch Alliance customer on another successful launch, and look forward to working together in the future."

Christine Cooley, RL10 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, said, "The successful placement of the satellite into orbit by the RL10B-2 upper-stage engine would not be possible without the unwavering commitment of the RL10 team and its dedication to 100 percent mission success.  I want to personally thank the team for their dedication and attention to detail."

The RS-68 is a hydrogen-fueled engine designed for heavy-lift with 758,000 pounds of vacuum thrust and 663,000 pounds of sea-level thrust.  The RL10B-2 is a cryogenic upper-stage engine that provides 465 seconds of specific impulse and 24,750 pounds of thrust.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a part of Pratt & Whitney, is a preferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines.  Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is headquartered in Canoga Park, Calif., and has facilities in Huntsville, Ala.; Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Stennis Space Center, Miss.  For more information about Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, go to www.prattwhitneyrocketdyne.com.      

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

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