PROMONTORY, Utah, Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA and ATK
(NYSE: ATK) have completed installing the first Space Launch System
booster qualification motor, QM-1, in a specialized test stand in
Utah. The largest solid rocket
motor ever built for flight, QM-1 is now being prepared for its
static-fire test, which is scheduled for March 11.
"Testing before flight is critical to ensure reliability and
safety when launching crew into space," said Charlie Precourt, vice president and general
manager of ATK's Space Launch division. "The QM-1 static test is an
important step in further qualifying this new five-segment solid
rocket motor for the subsequent planned missions to send astronauts
to deep space."
For this test, QM-1 is being conditioned to 90 degrees to test
its higher temperature capabilities against the required
temperature range. Lying horizontally in the test stand, the motor
is 154 feet in length and 12 feet in diameter. When fired, QM-1
will produce 3.6 million pounds of maximum thrust.
The five-segment rocket motor in conjunction with four RS-25 engines will propel NASA's Space
Launch System (SLS) off the launch pad . The SLS, along with NASA's
Orion spacecraft, provides a flexible deep space exploration
platform to take humans and cargo to multiple destinations across
our solar system.
Orion successfully experienced its first flight test in
December, orbiting twice around the earth and flying as far away as
3,600 miles, – more than 15 times farther than the International
Space Station and farther than a human spaceflight vehicle has
traveled in 40 years. The first test flight of SLS, called
Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), is just a few years away. EM-1 will
use two of ATK's five-segment solid rocket motors.
The SLS five-segment motor is based on the design heritage of
the flight-proven solid rocket boosters used on the Space Shuttle
Program, and was upgraded using new technologies and updated
materials.
"While we made modifications to our booster for NASA's new SLS,
during the 30 years of the Space Shuttle Program, we also
constantly monitored and improved our design," said Precourt, a
four-time space shuttle astronaut.
ATK technicians are now instrumenting the five-segment rocket to
collect measurements on more than 500 data channels. This
information will be used to evaluate motor performance, acoustics,
motor vibrations, nozzle modifications, insulation upgrades and
avionics command and control performance. The full-scale motor test
will further improve the safety, technology and knowledge of solid
rocket motors.
The SLS and Orion programs are supported by a network of
hundreds of suppliers representing 47 states. ATK has 29 key SLS
booster suppliers across 16 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New
Jersey, New York,
North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah
and Wisconsin.
Recent milestones include:
- EFT-1 (Orion) flight test (Dec. 5,
2014)
- Launch abort motor igniter test (Sep.
30, 2014)
- Booster Critical Design Review (August
7, 2014)
ATK is an aerospace, defense, and outdoor sports and recreation
company with operations in 21 states, Puerto Rico, and internationally. News and
information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com, on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/atk, or on Twitter @ATK.
Certain information discussed in this press release constitutes
forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although ATK believes that the
expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based
on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its
expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is
subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among
those factors are: changes in governmental spending, budgetary
policies and product sourcing strategies; the company's competitive
environment; the terms and timing of awards and contracts; and
economic conditions. ATK undertakes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statements. For further information on factors that
could impact ATK, and statements contained herein, please refer to
ATK's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media
Contact:
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Investor
Contact:
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Kay
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Michael
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Phone:
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Phone:
703-412-3216
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E-mail:
kay.anderson@atk.com
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E-mail:
michael.pici@atk.com
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SOURCE ATK