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Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne-Powered Launch Provides New Eye Over Mediterranean


WEBWIRE

CANOGA PARK, Calif., Friday.- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne powered a Delta II rocket as it roared off the launch pad yesterday at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base. The United Launch Alliance rocket was carrying a COSMO-SkyMed satellite, the first in a series of four satellites that will give scientists an unmatched view of the entire Mediterranean region. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s RS-27A engine fired for slightly over four minutes, producing 200,000 pounds of thrust as it successfully powered the Delta II carrying the COSMO satellite.

COSMO-SkyMed – Constellation of small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation – an advanced constellation developed by Thales Alenia, a Finmeccanica company, will become part of the Italian Space Agency’s Earth observation program.

“This was our 214th successful launch for the RS-27 family of engines - maintaining our 100-percent success record, which dates back to the 1970s,” said Elizabeth Jones, RS-27A program manager. “The unmatched reliability of the RS-27A is its strong suit and we’re proud that the RS-27A was a part of this very important mission.”

“We have eight more RS-27A launches scheduled in 2007, and in 2008 we’re tentatively scheduled for nine,” added Jones.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is the provider of engines for the entire family of Delta vehicles. The first stages of Delta II vehicles are powered by the RS-27A, while the first stages and upper stages of the Delta IV vehicles are powered by the RS-68 and the RL10, respectively.



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