Goal Is To Develop NASA's New Rocket Engines

Aerojet and Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT) announced Friday that the companies have entered into a strategic partnership to compete for research, development and production on NASA's new hydrocarbon engine and advanced upper stage engine. This expands the very successful teamwork that Aerojet and FTT have underway on the U.S. Air Force Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Demonstrator (HBTD) and Upper Stage Engine Technology (USET) programs.

The HBTD program is developing key, high-impact components and enabling technology for a world-class hydrocarbon engine. Aerojet and FTT will provide the innovation to expand this effort into a comprehensive engine development program that provides transformational propulsion capability for NASA, DoD and commercial launch vehicles. In 2007, Aerojet and FTT competed and won the HBTD program which is the only U.S. engine development program working on an advanced rocket engine cycle.

"NASA's plans for innovative propulsion R&D on a new hydrocarbon engine are critical to America's leadership in space launch," said Aerojet CEO Scott Seymour. "Winning the opportunity to work on these new NASA investments will allow Aerojet and FTT to expand and employ a whole new generation of engineers and scientists in developing the world's best hydrocarbon engine - and then to produce these engines in a new facility located in the United States. Aerojet is excited about joining in a strategic partnership with the innovative professionals at FTT to compete for and win this very important work."

"We look forward to growing our relationship with Aerojet, and the opportunity to build on our Air Force hydrocarbon engine technology with NASA," said FTT CEO Shirley Brostmeyer. "We are also proud of the opportunity to help build new high technology R&D engineering and manufacturing positions within the state of Florida."

FMI: www.aerojet.com, www.fttinc.com