Northrop Grumman Awarded NASA Contract For Next Generation Launch Technology

ROCKET SCIENCE

The TR107 prototype

Redondo Beach - May 07, 2003
Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., to continue development of an engine that will increase the safety, reliability and affordability of next-generation reusable space launch and transportation vehicles.

The $21 million contract for the TR107, a one-million-pound thrust class liquid oxygen/kerosene reusable engine that operates on an oxidizer-rich staged combustion cycle, is part of Next Generation Launch Technology under the Space Launch Initiative (SLI).

Under this 18-month contract, engine components will be subjected to hot fire testing to demonstrate technology developments.

"We are pleased to be part of NASA's continued emphasis on technology development to provide our nation with low-cost access to space," said Tom Romesser, Northrop Grumman Space Technology, vice president, technology development.

"The award of this contract enables NASA to use our innovative propulsion technologies to achieve its Next Generation Launch Technology goals."

The TR107 has been under development for two years under an earlier phase of NASA's SLI program. Northrop Grumman conducted trade studies and developed baseline conceptual designs.

Northrop Grumman leads a team that includes Allison Advanced Development Company, Indianapolis, Ind.; Concepts NREC, White River Junction, Vt.; Barber Nichols, Inc., Arvada, Colo.; Sierra Engineering, Carson City, Nev.; and several independent experts.

These technologies include a duct-cooled main chamber, a pre-burner pintle injector and materials that do not require coatings for the oxidizer-rich environment.

The TR107 provides high performance with a simple robust design that minimizes the parts count for greater reliability and operability and also minimizes the power head operating pressures to increase engine life.

ROCKET SCIENCE

SpaceDev Announces Streaker Launch Vehicle

Poway - Apr 30, 2003
SpaceDev has created a propulsion program that includes the SpaceDev Streaker -- a low-cost small launch vehicle -- an orbital transfer space tug -- and other propulsion products based in part on SpaceDev's development of a hybrid rocket motor related to the SpaceShipOne vehicle announced by Scaled Composites on April 18, 2003.

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