Sun, Feb 22, 2009
Derivative Of Design Used On Viking Mars Mission
Aerojet announced last week the company completed a hot firing
test sequence of a new roll control thruster being developed as a
candidate for NASA's Ares I launch vehicle. This was a significant
milestone, as it is the first firing of the improved engine design
including a new valve that meets redundancy criteria ensuring crew
safety and provides pulsing capability that is critical for the
roll control application.
The company tells ANN the test firing met all of NASA's
performance requirements.
The Ares Roll Control System Advanced Development Program was
awarded in the spring of 2007 for development based on Aerojet's
heritage MR-80 600 lbf-class monopropellant rocket engine. The MR80
had previously flown on the NASA Viking missions to Mars, where it
provided throttling of greater than 70:1 for a terminal descent and
soft landing.
The thruster was redesigned for pulsing application with the new
valve and Aerojet also implemented a series of product improvements
to reduce the recurring unit costs of the engines. The design
improvements were obtained using the Design for Manufacturability
and Assembly (DFMA) process which is part of Aerojet's overall
Operational Excellence initiative.
Development testing started in December 2008 with a successful
random vibration test, demonstrating the engine's ability to
withstand launch vibration loads. "Aerojet is proud to provide NASA
with a design solution that builds on the great heritage of the
MR-80 and meets the unique requirements of the Ares launch
vehicle," said Julie Van Kleeck, Aerojet's vice president of Space
Programs.
The Ares Roll Control System Advanced Development Contract is
managed by the Exploration Launch Office at NASA Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.
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