CANOGA PARK, Calif., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- A pair of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) rocket engines today powered an Air Force weather satellite to a polar orbit that will allow surveillance of more than 95 percent of the Earth's surface. A PWR RS-68, generating 660,000 pounds of thrust, boosted the Boeing Delta IV vehicle first stage, and a PWR RL10B-2 second stage engine, with 25,000 pounds of thrust, took the Air Force's DMSP-17 satellite to orbit. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a business of United Technologies Corp. .
Viewers in Los Angeles were able see the spectacular early morning launch as it flew from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This was the seventh pairing of the RS-68, America's newest large, liquid-fueled rocket engine, and the RL10B-2, continuing the success of the RL10 family of upper stage engines.
PWR President Byron Wood was elated by the successful launch. "Both engines continue to demonstrate their power and reliability," said Wood. "Once again, the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne team has demonstrated its remarkable service to our nation's military."
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., a part of Pratt & Whitney, offers a complete line of propulsion products from launch vehicles to missile defense to advanced hypersonic propulsion. These have been used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, and high altitude defense systems.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies provides high-technology products and services to the aerospace and building industries.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne media relations contacts:
Nancy Colaguori John K. Mitchell
