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Atlas 5 Solid Rocket Booster Test a Success
By Jim Banke
Senior Producer, Cape Canaveral Bureau
posted: 11:00 am ET
31 October 2002
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Aerojet -- the Sacramento, Calif.-based aerospace contractor -- successfully test-fired on Wednesday a new solid rocket booster that will be used to help launch Atlas 5 rockets. Burning for 92 seconds, the qualification test was the second of three planned for the 67-foot-long (20-meter-long) booster before it will be used for the first time in 2003 to help send a satellite into orbit. "This is a major accomplishment in the qualification of this new motor supporting Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 launch vehicle," said Mark Kaufman, Aerojet Atlas 5 program director. A third test is planned for December. During the exercise the booster was laying on its side, securely held in place within a massive test stand. Once ignited the grounded motor generated power that ranged from 285,000 to 390,000 pounds of thrust. "The test demonstrated that design criteria and manufacturing processes are in place for producing and flying a monolithic solid rocket motor of this size," Kaufman said. The first test earlier this year in March did not go well, although officials said they were able to record a lot of useful data on the motor. Intended to last 95 seconds, the test went well for about 30 seconds or so when the appearance of fire and smoke belching from the motor's nozzle changed and instrumentation showed a drop in thrust and internal pressure. In 1999 Aerojet won a $500 million contract from Lockheed Martin to design, test and produce the new Atlas 5 boosters. The booster largely is based on the company's design and experience with the solid motors used on the Minuteman and Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles. The company also is building, as part of an $8.8 million contract, the nose cones that go on top of each solid rocket motor. The two parts are to be shipped separately to the Cape and joined after the motors have been attached to the base of the Atlas 5 first stage. The Atlas 5 rocket launched in August did not use any of the Aerojet motors on its inaugural mission. Because of heightened public sensitivity to anything resembling a terrorist attack, Aerojet officials said they spent much effort warning Sacramento residents of the test firing before it happened.
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