Represents Air Force's First Investment in Potential Family of Motors

ATK reports it and the US Air Force successfully tested a Large Class (92-inch diameter) Stage III solid rocket motor at the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) in Tennessee.

The Stage III motor is designed to ignite at altitudes in excess of 85,000 feet. In order to accurately test the motor's performance the static fire was conducted at AEDC using a vacuum chamber specially designed to simulate upper atmospheric conditions. Preliminary data show all channels of data were collected, and performance appears to be within predictions. 

The high-performance motor was developed by ATK and uses emerging technologies from other Air Force developmental programs including the Propulsion Application Program and Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology. The contract is managed out of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Hill Air Force Base.

The Air Force has been tasked with maturing and demonstrating available technologies in a Large Class Solid Rocket Motor, and with demonstrating a potential family of motors which would save the Air Force future development costs in meeting future mission requirements.

FMI: www.atk.com