Aerojet is a major rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Sacramento, California with divisions in Redmond, WA; Orange, VA; Gainesville, VA; and Camden, AR. They are the only US propulsion company that provides both solid rocket motors and liquid rocket engines. Their products include a wide range of motors, from main engines used on a number of NASA vehicles and ballistic missiles, down to stationkeeping thrusters for spacecraft. The propulsion devices include rocket motors as large as the EELV Atlas V strap-on rocket boosters. Aerojet provides almost all of the Army's tactical missile rocket motors. They develop and manufacture a wide range of air breathing ramjet and scramjet engines. They also do research in the US in the area of electric ion and hall effect thrusters. Aerojet is one of only three companies dedicated almost entirely to rocket engines, the others being their rivals at Rocketdyne (liquid rocket engines) and ATK (solid rocket motors). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. ... Sacramento redirects here. ... Redmond is a city located in King County, Washington. ... Orange is a town located in Orange County, Virginia. ... Gainesville is a census-designated place located in Prince William County, Virginia. ... Camden is a city located in Ouachita County, Arkansas. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (IPA [ˈnæsÉ™]) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... Polish missile wz. ... The U.S. Government–sponsored Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program was intended to develop affordable alternatives to legacy medium-to-heavy-lift launch vehicles (e. ... Atlas V is a launch vehicle formerly built by Lockheed Martin and now built by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance in Decatur, Alabama. ... For other uses, see Ramjet (disambiguation). ... X-43A with scramjet attached to the underside at Mach 7 A scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) is a variation of a ramjet with the key difference being that the flow in the combustor is supersonic. ... 2 kW Laboratory Hall Thruster in operation at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory A Hall effect thruster is a type of ion thruster in which the propellant is accelerated by an electric field in a plasma discharge with a radial magnetic field. ... F-1 rocket engine Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. ... Alliant Techsystems NYSE: ATK is a major US aerospace and defense contractor with sales of approximately USD $3. ...

History

Aerojet developed from a 1936 meeting hosted by Theodore von Kármán at his house. In addition to von Kármán, who was at the time director of Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, a number of other Caltech professors and students were in attendance, as well as self-taught rocketry experts Jack Parsons and Ed Forman, all of whom were interested in the topic of spaceflight. The group continued to meet time to time, but was essentially limited to discussions as opposed to experimentation. Things changed in 1938 when the US Army offered two research projects, one for windshield de-icing on aircraft, and another for rocket engines to launch aircraft (today known as JATO). Dr. Jerome Hunsaker at MIT had the first pick, and feeling that the rocket research was a "Buck Rogers" project, left rockets to the CalTech team. 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Theodore von Kármán (SzÅ‘llÅ‘skislaki Kármán Tódor) (May 11, 1881 – May 6, 1963) was an engineer and physicist who was active primarily in the fields of aeronautics during the seminal era in the 1940s and 1950s. ... The Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT), was a research institute created in 1926, at first specializing in aeronautics research. ... The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech)[1] is a private, coeducational research university located in Pasadena, California, in the United States. ... Jack Parsons on the cover of his book Freedom is a two-edged sword John Jack Whiteside Parsons (October 2, 1914 – June 17, 1952), (born Marvel Whiteside Parsons), was an American rocket propulsion researcher at the California Institute of Technology and co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and... ISS in earth orbit. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Americas first rocket-assisted Take-off, an Ercoupe fitted with a GALCIT booster, in 1941 JATO is an acronym for Jet-Assisted Take Off. ... “MIT” redirects here. ... Buck Rogers is a fictional pulp character who first appeared in 1928 as Anthony Rogers, the hero of two novellas by Philip Francis Nowlan published in the magazine Amazing Stories. ...

Their first design was tested on August 16, 1941, consisting of a small cylindrical solid fuel motor attached to the bottom of a plane. The takeoff distance was shortened by half, and the USAAF placed an order for experimental production versions. On March 19, 1942 the company was officially formed in Azusa, CA, known as Aerojet Engineering. The founders of the Aerojet Engineering Corporation were Frank Malina, von Kármán, Parsons, Forman, Martin Summerfield, and Andrew Haley.^[1] In 1943 the Army Air Forces finally placed a full order, demanding that 2000 be delivered before year-end. The company also invested in pure rocket research, developing both a liquid fueled design, and a new solid fuel design based on a rubber binding agent in partnership with General Tire. In the immediate post-war era Aerojet downsized dramatically, but their JATO units continued to sell for commercial aircraft operating in hot-and-high conditions. is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... USAAF recruitment poster. ... is the 78th day of the year (79th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Azusa is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Frank Malina (1912-1982) was a Czech-American aeronautical engineer and painter, especially known for becoming both a pioneer in the art world and the realm of scientific engineering. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles. ...

By 1950 their research into the rubber-binder had led to much larger engines, and then to the development of the Aerobee sounding rocket. Aerobee was the first US designed rocket to reach space (albeit not orbit), and completed over 1000 flights before it was retired in 1985. The newly-formed US Air Force used Aerojet as the primary supplier on a number of their ICBM projects, including the Titan and Minuteman missiles. They also delivered propulsion systems for the US Navy's submarine-launched Polaris missile. A new plant was set up in Sacramento that took over most rocket construction, while the original Azusa offices returned primarily to research. One of Azusa's major projects was the development of the infra-red detectors for the Defense Support Program satellites, used to detect ICBM launches from space. The new research arm was formed as Aerojet Electronics, and after purchasing a number of ordnance companies, Aerojet Ordnance was created as well. A new umbrella organization oversaw the three major divisions, Aerojet General. Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Aerobee rocket was a small (8 m) unguided suborbital sounding rocket used for high atmospheric and cosmic radiation research in the United States in the 1950s. ... A sounding rocket, sometimes called an elevator research rocket, is an instrument-carrying suborbital rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its flight. ... This article is about the year. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... A Minuteman III missile soars after a test launch. ... Titan was a family of U.S. expendable rockets used between 1959 and 2005. ... The LGM-30 Minuteman is a United States nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Polaris A-3 on launch pad in Cape Canaveral The Polaris missile was a submarine-launched, two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed ballistic missile (SLBM) built during the Cold War by Lockheed for the United States Navy. ... Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than visible light, but shorter than microwave radiation. ... Painting of a DSP satellite on station. ...

President Kennedy's challenge to place man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s led to increased civilian work at Aerojet. In the past they had repeatedly lost contracts for large engines for the Saturn and Nova boosters, being designed in the late 1950s, typically to their rival Rocketdyne, but in the end were selected to develop and build the main engine for the Apollo Command/Service Module. In 1962 they were also selected to design a new upper-stage engine to replace the cluster of five J-2s used on the Saturn second stage in the post-Apollo era, but work on their resulting M-1 design was later ended in 1965 when it became clear the public's support for a massive space program was waning. John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... The SA-9 (Saturn I Block II), the eighth Saturn I flight, lifted off on February 16, 1965. ... Diagram of Saturn I, Saturn V and Nova 8L rockets. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... F-1 rocket engine Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. ... The Command/Service Module (CSM) was a spacecraft built for NASA by North American Aviation. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... J-2 Rocket Engine Specifications. ... Aerojets M-1 was the largest and most powerful liquid hydrogen-fueled rocket engine to be designed and built. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

Similar work continued in the 1970s, delivering the 2nd stage motor for the MX missile, the thruster systems for the Space Shuttle, and the first US-designed cluster bombs. A contract for 30mm ammunition for the A-10 Thunderbolt II was so extensive that new branch plants were set up in Downey and Chino in 1978. Aerojet also purchased a number of other firms over this period, and their plant in Jonesborough, TN developed the use of depleted uranium ordnance. To this day they are the primary supplier of these weapons. Their electronics and ordnance divisions also collaborated on the SADARM 8" anti-armor artillery round, but this was not put into production. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Test launch of Peacekeeper ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, CA (USAF) The LG-118A Peacekeeper is a land-based ICBM deployed by the United States starting in 1986. ... This article is about the space vehicle. ... A US B-1 Lancer releasing its payload of cluster bombs Cluster Munitions or Cluster Bombs are air-dropped or ground-launched munitions that eject a number of smaller submunitions (bomblets). The most common types are intended to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles. ... The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, also providing a limited air interdiction role. ... Location of Downey in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles Founded 1800s Incorporated 1956 Government  - Type Council-Manager government  - City Council David R. Gafin Mario A. Guerra Rick Trejo (Mayor) Anne Marie Bayer Kirk Cartozian Area  - City  12. ... Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Jonesborough is a town located in Washington County, Tennessee. ... Depleted uranium storage yard. ... The SADARM submunition, above, with the ram air parachute deployed, below with the ring vortex parachute deployed. ...

The 1980s saw a brief revival of the aerospace business during the heyday of Reagan's SDI program, but the company shrank continually during the late 1980s and into the 1990s. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... Reagan redirects here. ... The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983[1] to use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

EPA Superfund site

Aerojet's manufacture, testing and disposal methods led to toxic contamination of both the land and groundwater in the Rancho Cordova area, leading to the designation of a Superfund site.^[2] Solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and chloroform and rocket fuel by-products such as N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and perchlorate were discovered in drinking water wells near Aerojet in 1979. Since then, two State agencies and the Environmental Protection Agency have been working with Aerojet to ensure that the company cleans up pollution caused by its operations at the site. Under state and federal enforcement orders, Aerojet installed several systems on the borders of its property to pump out and treat contaminated groundwater. Aerojet has also conducted a number of removal actions for onsite soils, liquids, and sludges. In 2003, groundwater sampling data revealed a plume of contamination extending northwest under Carmichael.^[3] Air pollution Pollution is the introduction of pollutants (whether chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light) into the environment to such a point that its effects become harmful to human health, other living organisms, or the environment. ... Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of lithologic formations. ... Coordinates: , Country State County Sacramento Incorporated July 1, 2003 Government  - Mayor David Sander  - Vice Mayor Linda Budge  - City Manager Ted A. Gaebler Area  - City  22. ... Checking the status of a cleanup site Superfund is the common name for the United States environmental law that is officially known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 to 9675, which was enacted by the United States Congress on December 11... For other uses, see Solvent (disambiguation). ... The chemical compound trichloroethylene is a chlorinated hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent. ... R-phrases , , , S-phrases , Flash point Non-flammable U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 50 ppm (240 mg/m3) (OSHA) Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... This is a list of Extremely Hazardous Substances as defined by Section 302 of the U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. ... Perchlorates are the salts derived from perchloric acid (HClO4). ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... EPA redirects here. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carmichael is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sacramento County, California, United States. ...

Aerojet today

As Aerojet downsized, many of their industrial plants were idled, and the company looked for ways to capitalize them. Their massive investment in chemical mixing equipment used to build their solid fuel rockets was later leased to third parties, notably pharmaceutical companies, under the name Aerojet Fine Chemicals. The division was later sold. Aerojet Real Estate was "more direct", leasing buildings, or selling off undeveloped land. It owns approximately 12,600 acres (51 km²) of land, located 15 miles (24 km) east of downtown Sacramento.

The remaining research and development sections of Aerojet are currently organized into the Aerospace and Defense division (ADS). They continue to develop and produce liquid, solid, and air-breathing engines for strategic and tactical missiles, precision strike missiles, and interceptors required for missile defense. Product applications for defense systems include strategic and tactical missile motors; maneuvering propulsion systems; attitude control systems; and warhead assemblies used in precision weapon systems and missile defense, as well as airframe structures required on the F-22 Raptor aircraft and fire suppression systems for military and commercial vehicles. Their space-related products include liquid engines for expendable and reusable launch vehicles, upper stage engines, satellite propulsion, large solid boosters, and integrated propulsion subsystems. Missile defence is an air defence system, weapon program, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception and destruction of attacking missiles. ... F-22 redirects here. ... A Saturn V launch vehicle sends Apollo 15 on its way to the moon. ... NASA Image of the final solid rocket booster (right) being mated to a Delta II rocket (blue). ...

Most recently, Aerojet successfully qualified a 4.5kW Hall effect thruster electric propulsion system based on technology licencened from the Busek Corporation. Aerojet is under contract to Lockheed Martin to provide the first two shipsets of the new thruster system for the next generation Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system, an Air Force program. 2 kW Laboratory Hall Thruster in operation at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory A Hall effect thruster is a type of ion thruster in which the propellant is accelerated by an electric field in a plasma discharge with a radial magnetic field. ... “The U.S. Air Force” redirects here. ...

Research into the next generation of advanced or "green" monopropellant engines has been met with mixed success. HAN engines developed under contract to the US Air Force and Missile Defense Agency have provided proof of concept, but the engines have yet to be flight qualified despite more than a decade of research.

Aerojet is currently owned by the company formerly known as the General Tire & Rubber Company, which changed its name to GenCorp in 1984. GenCorp is headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California. The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles. ... GenCorp was the final corporate name of the former General Tire and Rubber Company, formerly a major U.S. maker of automobile tires. ... Coordinates: , Country State County Sacramento Incorporated July 1, 2003 Government  - Mayor David Sander  - Vice Mayor Linda Budge  - City Manager Ted A. Gaebler Area  - City  22. ...

References

1. ^ Malina, Frank Joseph. American National Biography.
2. ^ EPA Proposes a Plan to Address Groundwater Contamination in the Western Area of the Aerojet Site. California Department of Toxic Substances Control (November, 2000).
3. ^ Edge of Groundwater Contamination Plume Appears in Carmichael. United States Environmental Protection Agency (May, 2004).

External links

• Aerojet corporation
• GenCorp web site
• Aerojet Redmond Website