Posted on 04/20/2018 5:08:16 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Orbital ATK’s proposed rocket to answer the U.S. Air Force’s desire for two families of satellite launchers with U.S.-made propulsion systems will be named OmegA, and the company has selected the cryogenic Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine to power the vehicle’s upper stage, officials announced this week.
The OmegA rocket could launch for the first time in 2021, but Orbital ATK is competing against several aerospace companies for a pot of Air Force funding the military is expected to award this summer. Blue Origin, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance are expected to compete for the government support, and then Air Force says it will make up to three funding awards.
Orbital ATK previously disclosed that two solid-fueled rocket motors will power the first and second stages of the OmegA launcher. Company officials considered hydrogen-fueled engine proposals from Blue Origin and Ariane Group before settling on Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RL10 engine for OmegA’s upper stage.
Artist’s illustrations of the OmegA rocket show two RL10 engines on the OmegA’s third stage. The new engine derivative selected to fly on the OmegA rocket is known as the RL10C-5-1, a modified version of the RL10C-1 engine currently flying on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket.
Aerojet Rocketdyne said the new version of the RL10 engine will feature a 3D-printed injector assembly. Variants of the RL10 engine have flown in space nearly 500 times since the 1960s.
“The RL10 has provided reliable upper stage propulsion for more than five decades and we look forward to continuing that legacy with Orbital ATK and its OmegA rocket,” said Eileen Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne’s CEO and president, in a statement. “By selecting the RL10, Orbital ATK is able to leverage investments made by the U.S. Air Force and others to build resilient space launch capabilities for our nation.”
(Excerpt) Read more at spaceflightnow.com ...
I was hoping that they were going to name it "Launchey McLaunchface", but no luck - they didn't "name" the new launcher, they named the new launcher...
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