Kinetic Energy Interceptor Has A First Stage

Alliant Techsystems (ATK) successfully test-fired the first-stage rocket motor for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) Wednesday.

This is the second in a series of static motor firings in the company's effort to meet its first scheduled booster flight in 2008. Northrop Grumman is leading the industry team developing and testing a KEI capability under contract to MDA. Raytheon is developing and integrating the KEI system's interceptor.

In a press release, ATK's Vice President of Strategic & Commercial Systems Bill Condas said, "The rocket motor burned successfully to completion, demonstrating proof-of-concept of the motor assembly and its thrust vector control nozzle for this high-acceleration, high-velocity, and highly maneuverable missile. Initial test results matched expectations for rocket motor performance and integrity."

In January ATK ran a successful test of the rocket motor's second stage.

ATK is the largest propulsion subcontractor on the KEI program, under contract to Raytheon's interceptor team. They produce first-stage rocket motors at facilities in Utah and have plans for facilities in Maryland to produce the second- and third-stage rocket motors. Other subsystems will be produced by ATK in West Virginia.

As ANN has reported in recent articles, the MDA has had mixed results in full-scale testing of its trouble-prone missile defense systems. Earlier this week a Northop Grumman target missile was destroyed by range officers when it malfunctioned after launch. The week prior saw the successful interception of a target missile by a Boeing interceptor missile, marking the system's first success in nearly 18 months.

FMI: www.atk.com