Rocket Engine Roars into Fourth Decade of Launch Success

For the 207th time — and counting — an RS-27 booster rocket engine, built by United Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc., has powered satellites into space. This time it was the pairing of CloudSat and CALIPSO, which were launched today from Vandenberg Air Force Base and will provide a new, more intense look at the Earth’s atmosphere.

The RS-27 has built a 100-percent flight success record over more than three decades. Rated at 200,000 pounds of thrust (sea level), the RS-27A version of the engine is used on all five variations of the Delta II family. Working with combinations of strap-on solid rocket boosters, the engine can lift payloads of nearly 6,000 pounds to more than 10,000 pounds into low-earth orbit.

“Today’s flawless performance of the RS-27A engine is a reflection of the continuing dedication and professionalism of the entire RS-27A PWR team,” said Elizabeth Jones, program manager for the engine. “I’m fortunate and thrilled to be a part of this team. We’re looking forward to a very busy time supporting 10-plus launches in 2006 and 2007.”

Among the many missions boosted by the RS-27 are GPS, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Global Surveyor, Deep Impact and Stardust. In addition, the Mars Rovers “Spirit” and “Opportunity” — still working on the Red Planet — were sent on their way by the RS-27A.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., a business unit of Pratt & Whitney, offers a complete line of propulsion products, from boosters to upper stage engines. These have been used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the Main Engines for the Space Shuttle and propulsion systems for the Atlas and Delta expendable launch vehicles. Pratt & Whitney is a part of UTC, a diversified company based in Hartford, Conn., and provides high technology products and services to the commercial building industry and the military and commercial aerospace industry. Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.

Contact: John Mitchell

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

Office – (818) 586-4564; Cell – (818) 324-0529