Nichols Martin
Lockheed Martin has received an Aerojet Rocketdyne-made jettison motor designed for the launch abort system of NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
Aerojet Rocketdyne said Wednesday it delivered the motor in preparation for Artemis 1, the spacecraft’s upcoming integrated flight with the Space Launch System.
Generating 40K pounds of thrust, the jettison motor works to detach the LAS from the crew module after launch or during emergency situations.
“The United States is once again sending astronauts to deep space, and ensuring their safety is a vital task,†said Eileen Drake, president and CEO at Aerojet Rocketdyne.
“We are looking forward to seeing Orion launch on SLS and to support the program for many years and missions to come," she added. The company will also supply a jettison motor for the second Artemis mission.
Orion will explore through a retrograde orbit around the Moon during the Artemis 1 mission scheduled for June 2020.
Lockheed and Aerojet Rocketdyne are among the program’s five prime contractors.
