Latest Atlas V Stories

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- United Launch Alliance was formed just five years ago, bringing together the world's two most experienced launch teams and two highly reliable launch systems, Atlas and Delta. ULA's unparalleled recipe of experience is built on the Atlas and Delta legacy of 1,300 launches during the past five decades, propelled by ULA employees and suppliers located in 46 states. ULA's impressive record of success lies in the 56 successful launches...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, helped launch a new era of planetary exploration by providing propulsion for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission that lifted off today on a scientific endeavor to the red planet. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111126/SF12314) Four Aerojet AJ60 Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) igniting at lift-off increased the launch thrust of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket by more than 1.5...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne demonstrated the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems by successfully boosting the Mars Science Laboratory rover, which will travel to the red planet to assess its habitability. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the Centaur upper stage is...

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., Nov. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Mars Science Lab (MSL) for NASA lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 here at 10:02 a.m. EST today. This is ULA's 11th launch of the year and marked the 56th successful launch for the company in 60 months. "ULA is extremely proud to have launched the Curiosity rover on its 9-month journey to the red planet," said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president, Mission...

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- United Launch Alliance (ULA) today announced the completion of a key milestone that could lead toward the certification of the Atlas V launch vehicle for human spaceflight. ULA has successfully completed the second required major performance milestone of its Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Unfunded Space Act Agreement. The Design Equivalency Review (DER) completes a rigorous assessment of the flight-proven Atlas V launch vehicle's...

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn., Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- When the Mars Science Laboratory embarks on its voyage to Mars on Nov. 25, Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne products will be onboard to make the mission possible. Curiosity, about the size of a Mini Cooper and four times heavier than current Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, will be powered by Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation is a...

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is set to launch NASA's Mars Science Lab (MSL) mission with the Curiosity rover on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:02 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. This mission will be launched aboard an Atlas V 541 configuration vehicle, which includes a 5-meter diameter RUAG Space payload fairing along with four Aerojet solid rocket motors attached to the Atlas booster. The Atlas booster...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft for NASA lifted off from Space Launch Complex-2W here at 2:48 a.m. PDT today. This is ULA's 10th launch of the year and marked the 55th successful launch for the company. "ULA is proud to have served NASA with 50 Delta II launches, achieving 100 percent mission success for a very diverse array of exceptionally important science...

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- United Launch Alliance (ULA) was awarded the prestigious John R. Alison Award at the Air Force Association's (AFA) 2011 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 21 for its outstanding contributions in national defense. "We applaud the combined 100 percent launch success rate of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle's (EELV) Atlas V and Delta IV boosters," said S. Sanford Schlitt, Air Force Association chairman of the...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, announces the successful testing of the state-of-the-art Upper Stage Engine Technology (USET) Hydrogen Turbopump Assembly (TPA) at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Aerojet and its teammate, Florida Turbine Technologies Inc. (FTT), Jupiter, Fla. designed, manufactured, assembled and delivered the turbopump assembly to the AFRL test facility and successfully...