WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Aerojet has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to develop technologies for rocket propulsion applications.
The Aerojet contract, with the Air Force Research Laboratory Propulsion Research Directorate, is to investigate rocket propulsion applications technologies under its Upper Stage Engine Technologies program, the company reported Friday.
The USET program supports the Air Force's Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology Phase II Propellant Management Devices and the Combustion and Energy Conversion Devices technological research areas and has already developed computational capabilities and software to improve state-of-the-art turbopump rotating machinery for future upper-stage advanced cryogenic, liquid oxygen and hydrogen engines as well as for other engines.
Aerojet Vice President of Space and Launch Systems Julie Van Kleeck said: "Aerojet is very pleased to have been chosen to contribute our rotating machinery heritage and analytical competencies along with our subcontractor, Florida Turbine Technologies. We are prepared to meet our Air Force customers' ultimate goal of developing the technology for existing and future systems to reduce launch costs, while increasing payload orbit reliability."
