Scott Nicholas
Aerojet Rocketdyne has conducted hot-fire qualification tests on a hydrazine monopropellant engine the company designed to help address reusability requirements for the propulsion system of a Boeing-built crew module.
Aerojet Rocketdyne said Thursday it built and tested the MR-104J engine technology for Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation-100 Starliner as part of a subcontract awarded through NASA‘s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability program.
The spacecraft’s propulsion system will be equipped with 12 MR-104J engines to aid reaction control of the vehicle when it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
Boeing will integrate the propulsion hardware into the CST-100 at the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“We look forward to delivering the engines for the crew module and continuing our proud heritage of enabling astronauts to fly to the International Space Station from U.S. soil,” said Eileen Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne’s president and CEO.
Aerojet Rocketdyne subcontract also provide crew module reaction control engines, service module reaction control system thrusters, launch abort engines, orbital maneuvering and attitude control thrusters to Boeing under the CCtCap subcontract.
