Aerojet's advanced solid rocket motors (SRMs) will provide reliable, high-performance boosting power for the Atlas V, a medium-to-heavy-lift launch vehicle aimed at the commercial satellite market as well as U.S. government missions.

"We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Lockheed Martin Astronautics on this exciting program," said Bob Wolfe, Aerojet President. "This contract fits perfectly with Aerojet's continuing strategy of aggressively pursuing work in the commercial space arena. At the same time, we will be able to draw on our 40-year heritage of success with solid rocket motors."

Announced this week, the Atlas V rocket will have a variety of configurations based on Lockheed Martin Astronautics' Common Core Booster(TM). Atlas V is the result of Astronautics' investment to develop a family of rockets for the commercial market as well as the company's participation in the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program.

The Atlas V will lift commercial and government payloads such as communications satellites to low earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit and geosynchronous orbit. The first launch is scheduled for 2001.

Aerojet's winning SRM design derives much of its technology from the company's extensive experience producing solid rocket motors for Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs, as well as pioneering work on other propulsion and space systems. Engineers have been able to capitalize on the inherent reliability of Aerojet SRMs that comes from decades of flight testing and real mission experience. Up to five Aerojet SRMs, made of lightweight graphite composite, will be harnessed to each Atlas V, depending on the mission.

"The Atlas V SRM combines Aerojet's vast solids experience with the performance and cost improvements that Lockheed Martin Astronautics required. This is a booster that will meet the critical needs of the Atlas V program well into the next century," said Bob Harris, Aerojet Vice President, Strategic and Space Propulsion.

In the next decade, Lockheed Martin Astronautics expects to maintain its market leadership based upon quality launch vehicle products with a mission success heritage unmatched in the market. Its facilities are located in Denver, San Diego and Harlingen, Texas. Aerojet will manufacture the SRMs at its Sacramento facility and ship them to launch sites at Cape Canaveral, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., for integration with the rockets.