Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Tests Propulsion Technology to Send Humans to Moon, Mars and Beyond

CANOGA PARK, Calif., April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne completed a series of successful hot-fire tests for a propulsion system that could lead to increased mission capability and flexibility in sending humans to the moon, Mars and beyond. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

During the tests at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, a 25 pound-force thruster testbed successfully demonstrated cooling with gaseous methane and gaseous oxygen, as well as rapid start and stop at simulated altitude conditions. The tests also gathered a wide range of data on ignition and combustion performance. A test program highlight was the igniter demonstration of split-second pulses that emulate how a spacecraft may perform during a mission.

“These successful tests mark another milestone for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s contribution to the U.S. Space Exploration Policy,” said Terry Lorier, program manager, Space Propulsion Systems Development, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. “It demonstrates our team is ready to proceed with development of this technology, and provides data in support of NASA’s upcoming decision on whether to baseline oxygen and methane as propellants for use on future NASA vehicles and missions.”

The hot-fire testing was conducted as part of the Propulsion and Cryogenics Advanced Development (PCAD) project under NASA’s Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP). The goal is to develop and demonstrate key technologies that will enable NASA to conduct future human exploration missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond. Testing was conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center under contract management from NASA Johnson Space Center.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., a part of Pratt & Whitney, is a preferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

    Bryan Kidder                                Carri Karuhn
    Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne                  Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
    +1-818-586-2213                             +1-818-586-4963
    bryan.kidder@pwr.utc.com                    carri.karuhn@pwr.utc.com