Orbital ATK Completes Qualification of Solid Rocket Booster Avionics for NASA’s Space Launch System
September 06 2017 - 9:24AM
Business Wire
Company’s Five-Segment Boosters will Help
Provide Initial Thrust for First Two Minutes of Flight for
SLS
Full Booster Certification Set to Complete
Later this Year
Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, recently completed an important qualification test of
the avionics system for the solid rocket boosters the company has
developed and is now manufacturing for NASA’s Space Launch System
(SLS). Completion of this milestone is an important step toward
preparing the SLS and Orion spacecraft for their first flight in
2019. Two Orbital ATK-developed five-segment rocket boosters will
be used on each SLS launch to help provide initial thrust for the
first two minutes of flight.
The avionics system is considered the “brains of the booster” as
it starts booster ignition, communicates with the SLS launch
vehicle computers during flight, and initiates booster separation
upon completion of the first stage burn. The system is now
qualified as meeting NASA’s demanding human-rating requirements,
which provide a level of redundancy to ensure a safe flight
environment through various phases of lift-off, ascent and
staging.
“Completion of booster avionics system qualification is a
significant step forward in supporting overall vehicle
qualification and launch of the first flight of SLS – Exploration
Mission-1,” said Jeff Foote, Vice President of NASA Programs for
Orbital ATK’s Propulsion Systems Division. “We are proud of this
accomplishment and look forward to completing full certification of
the booster later this year.”
Qualification of the booster avionics system included a rigorous
and comprehensive test series that thoroughly verified the fidelity
of the system in a variety of expected and abnormal conditions. Key
interactions confirmed during qualification testing included the
ability to initiate booster ignition, control the booster during
flight, and terminate flight.
The Space Launch System is NASA’s new heavy-lift launch vehicle
that is being built to take crew and cargo to destinations beyond
earth orbit, including to cislunar space and eventually Mars. SLS,
along with the Orion spacecraft, will enable human exploration on a
variety of missions to deep space. It has the greatest capacity of
any launch system ever built, ensuring continued American
leadership in space exploration.
Orbital ATK manufactures the twin, five-segment solid rocket
boosters in Promontory, Utah, about an hour and a half north of
Salt Lake City. Contributing to SLS booster production are 29 key
suppliers across 17 states including Alabama, Arizona, California,
Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas,
Utah and Wisconsin.
About Orbital ATK
Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space,
defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both
as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products
include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile
products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons,
armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space
components and services; and advanced aerospace structures.
Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs
approximately 13,000 people across the U.S. and in several
international locations. For more information, visit
www.orbitalatk.com.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170906006112/en/
Media Contact:Kay Anderson (435) 230-2787Communications
LeadOrbital ATK Propulsion
Systemskay.anderson@orbitalatk.comorInvestor Contact:Barron
Beneski (703) 406-5528Public and Investor RelationsOrbital
ATKbarron.beneski@orbitalatk.com
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