Aerojet Rocketdyne has completed a 73-second hot-fire static test on a solid propellant rocket motor for its Low Earth Orbiting Nanosatellite Integrated Defense Autonomous System and generated a thrust force of almost 300,000 lbf.
The LEO-46 solid rocket motor is the first stage of Aerojet Rocketdyne’s propulsion system for the Super Strypi launch vehicle, the company said Wednesday.
“The LEO motors and their variants will serve applications in small launch vehicles, target vehicles and national defense architectures,” said Paul Meyer, senior vice president for advanced programs and business development at Aerojet Rocketdyne.
The firing test held at the Air Force Research Laboratory at California’s Edwards Air Force Base is the last of three ground test demonstrations for the LEO motors following the 2012 LEO-7 test and 2013 LEO-1 test.