Mon, Nov 23, 2009
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Tests Thruster For
Unmanned Lunar Lander
Using technology developed for the nation's ballistic missile
defense system, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully
completed hot-fire thruster tests demonstrating the ability of
miniaturized thrusters to perform the descent and landing operation
for a new generation of multi-use robotic lunar landers.
These tests were part of a series of risk reduction activities
undertaken by the Robotic Lunar Lander Development Team at NASA
Marshall Space Flight Center, located in Huntsville, Alabama.
During the tests conducted at NASA's White Sands Test Facility in
Las Cruces, New Mexico, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's thruster
was put through a 16-minute firing sequence to simulate a lunar
landing, including continuous burns up to 10 times longer than
typically required for missile defense systems. The thruster allows
NASA to take advantage of existing technology minimizing additional
development cost, risk or delay.
"We're very pleased to demonstrate that our robust heritage
hardware satisfies NASA's requirements for long-duration missions,"
said Cy Bruno, program manager, NASA Propulsion and Strategic
Systems, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. "We look forward to the
potential of future opportunities to work with NASA to provide more
efficient and cost-effective propulsion systems as we continue to
advance space exploration."
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has provided the main engines for
the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense
systems and advanced hypersonic engines.
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