Pratt& Whitney Rocketdyne Provides Engines in Rocket Launch

A rocket using engines made by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne was launched April 15 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The rocket was carrying a spacecraft for the U.S. government. The Atlas V was powered by a booster engine made by RD AMROSS LLC, a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NPO Energomash. The upper stage of the rocket was powered by a PWR RL 10 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. “With nearly a half-century of flight, the RL10 continues to prove itself as the nation’s most reliable upper-stage engine,” said Jim Maus, director, expendable propulsion programs, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. “We’re pleased to see it continue that legacy.” Mark R. Madler