SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 11, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE:GY) company, announced that its rockets and thrusters were instrumental in today's launch of the U.S. Air Force's orbital test vehicle.
The orbital test vehicle was launched aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. Eight Aerojet retro rockets also assisted with the Atlas Centaur separation from the launch vehicle. In addition, 12 Aerojet monopropellant (hydrazine) thrusters on the Atlas V Centaur upper stage provided roll, pitch and yaw control, as well as settling burns for the upper stage main engine. All Atlas launches since the late 1980s have included Aerojet monopropellant reaction control thrusters on the Centaur upper stage.
Aerojet is under contract with ULA for the reaction control thrusters and retro rockets for the Atlas V program. Aerojet's Redmond, Wash. team manufactured the Centaur upper stage reaction control thrusters for ULA. The retro rockets were designed and developed by Aerojet in Gainesville, Va. and manufactured in Camden, Ark.
Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader providing propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense, strategic, tactical missile and armaments areas in support of domestic and international 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 www.Aerojet.com and at www.GenCorp.com.
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