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Three Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 Rocket Engines Boost Classified Spy Satellite

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

January 19, 2009

thomas

CANOGA PARK, Calif., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, contributed to the nation’s security by boosting a classified spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Jan. 17. The satellite was onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, powered by three Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 engines and one upper-stage RL10B-2 engine. It was the second operational mission for a Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle. This was the 716th launch of a Delta vehicle under Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s power. The first Delta IV was launched in 2002.

“We’re proud to be part of a mission that will ensure the safety and security of our nation,” said Craig Stoker, RS-68 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. “This was a critical payload and as always, our goal is 100 percent mission success.”

The upper-stage RL10B-2 helped place the satellite into orbit. “This engine has over 40 years of flight performance with the highest reliability of any cryogenic upper-stage engine in the world,” said Jeff Flenniken, RL10B-2 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. “It’s an honor knowing that reliability is the preferred choice in our nation’s security.”

The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office is responsible for operating overhead reconnaissance missions for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., a part of Pratt & Whitney, is a preferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

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