Thiokol Propulsion and Howmet are supplying a significant portion of the low-cost RS-68 engine components, which will be the most powerful oxygen/hydrogen engine in the world -- 50 percent more powerful than the Space Shuttle's Main Engine (SSME). Thiokol Propulsion is supplying the exit cone with an ablative design, while Howmet is supplying castings for several key fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) turbopump components.

Thiokol Propulsion has applied its experience as the world's largest solid rocket motor company to the design of the RS-68 exit cone. The exit cone is comprised of phenolic materials. This design substantially reduces manufacturing time and cost. Thiokol's simple four piece ablative design replaces the previous complex, multi-piece exit cone design.

Howmet has worked extensively with Boeing over the last four years to concurrently engineer rocket hardware for the RS-68 program at Howmet's facilities in Hampton, Virginia and LaPorte, Indiana. Early supplier involvement and teamwork culminated in the delivery of complex, large structural castings for the RS-68 engine.

Howmet is producing eight large structural castings, such as those for the LOX and fuel turbopumps, gas generator and blisks; and four smaller, yet complex castings, such as those for fuel and LOX stators and blisks. The fuel pump volute is the largest RS-68 casting. At over 650 pounds, this casting replaces more than a dozen subassemblies and has features that could not have been incorporated in the previous assembly design.

Combined, Thiokol Propulsion and Howmet International have reduced the number of parts and processing steps substantially. Fewer parts and simplified designs yield lower life cycle costs, and better performance and reliability for the RS-68 engine.