Shuttle Atlantis Return Marks Final Flight Milestone

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, salutes today's return of orbiter Atlantis and the NASA human spaceflight team for this historic mission and 30 years of flight for an American icon.

Blazing into orbit in 1981, NASA's space shuttle fleet has provided an unrivaled payload return capability, the transport of more than 350 astronauts, the delivery and on-orbit maintenance of space assets, and the assembly of the largest structure in space, the International Space Station (ISS). Space Shuttle Atlantis stands out as the workhorse for the Shuttle-MIR program, flying seven of the nine flights that docked to the Russian space station. The missions served as an on-orbit testbed for capabilities required for ISS construction.

"The space shuttle and its team represent the American spirit," said Vice President of Communications, Glenn Mahone. "The program demanded the best of our country and people and, in return, fueled our economy, created high-tech jobs, advanced science and technology, spurred innovations that improve our lives and kept our country the forerunner in exploration."

Aerojet's contributions to NASA's space shuttle program served frontline roles. Aerojet's Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engines provided thrust for critical in-flight maneuvers including orbital insertion, rendezvous and deorbit. Aerojet's Reaction Control System (RCS) engines helped guide the orbiter to more than 30 dockings with the ISS, and the company's Auxiliary Power Unit generators supported countdown and ascent milestones.

"The space shuttle program demonstrated that humans not only can survive, but thrive in space," Mahone said. "We're very proud to be a part of its legacy."

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.

SOURCE Aerojet

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