In the 1960s, the company supplied the F-1 engines for NASA’s Saturn V rocket, which put astronauts on the Moon during the Apollo program. It also provided Boeing’s X-51 supersonic plane with a dual ramjet/scramjet engine and various powerplants for the Delta family of rockets.
Aerojet Rocketdyne played a crucial role in the Space Shuttle program by supplying NASA with RS-25 engines, which are now used in the Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis program. The company’s work also intersects with the military, and this will likely increase now that it is owned by defense contractor L3Harris.
Recently, Aerojet Rocketdyne confirmed its involvement in the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program, which aims to provide a robust defense against long-range ballistic missile threats from rogue nations. The NGI interceptors will feature a three-stage booster to propel the kill vehicle to its target.
Two teams, Northrop Grumman/Raytheon and Lockheed Martin/Aerojet Rocketdyne, have been competing to develop the system. Lockheed Martin’s team has recently demonstrated solid progress, particularly with the NGI propulsion system.
The latest news from Aerojet Rocketdyne concerns the completion of a critical design review of the NGI’s third-stage rocket motor. This key milestone follows the successful testing of the NGI solid rocket motor’s first and second stages. The completion of the NGI program is expected in the coming years, providing the U.S. military with advanced missile defense capabilities.
The NGI program’s final system deployment will be a significant milestone in the U.S.’s ongoing efforts to enhance its defense infrastructure. The NGI program aims to prevent the deployment of ballistic missiles by adversaries, providing crucial protection for the U.S. and its allies against potential threats.
