Aerojet Rocketdyne Establishes Hydrocarbon R&D Office in Alabama

September 24, 2014

Matthew Monaghan

Rapid development and certification of AR1, an all-U.S. designed, developed, and produced advanced hydrocarbon engine, manufactured to power current and future U.S. national security launch vehicles, is a key focus for AHPDO.

Aerojet Rocketdyne announced the establishment of an Advanced Hydrocarbon Propulsion Development Office (AHPDO) in Huntsville, AL. The facility will focus on delivering a 21st-century advanced hydrocarbon rocket engine and the integration of the company's ongoing hydrocarbon technology and development efforts. This development work will include the AR1 advanced large hydrocarbon rocket engine, the NASA Advanced Booster Engineering Demonstration Risk Reduction program, the U.S. Air Force Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Development program, and internal Aerojet Rocketdyne research and development involving the company's Bantam Engine family for lower thrust applications. Huntsville was selected as the home base of the R&D office because of its capability in the area and alignment with key government, academic, and private sector organizations. A Huntsville base for this new advanced hydrocarbon propulsion development office aligns with several other national advanced liquid rocket engine activities, such as work with Aerojet Rocketdyne's strategic partner, Dynetics, including NASA's current risk reduction work for key components of this type of rocket engine; important production capacity provided by strategic partner, Teledyne Brown Engineering in Huntsville; and the ongoing efforts of the National Institute of Rocket Propulsion Systems.