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The RD-180 engine PRATT & WHITNEY FACT SHEET Posted: February 19, 2002
The RD-180 is a total propulsion unit with hydraulics for control valve actuation and thrust vector gimbaling, pneumatics for valve actuation and system purging, and a thrust frame to distribute loads, all self contained as part of the engine. The engine, employing a LOX lead start, staged combustion cycle and LOX rich turbine drive, delivers a 10 percent performance increase over current operational U.S. booster engines and provide clean reusable operation. Lockheed Martin selected the RD-180 engine to provide the booster propulsion for its Atlas 3 launch vehicle and its candidate for the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV). The RD-180 is a staged combustion cycle engine that burns liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants. The two thrust chambers can gimbal +-8 degrees. The engine has a health monitoring and life prediction system. Minimized interfaces are needed with launch pad and vehicle (pneumatic and hydraulic systems self contained, electrical panels consolidated, thrust frame to simplify mechanical interface). The engine offers environmentally clean operations with staged combustion oxidizer rich preburner, and oxidizer start and shutdown modes that eliminate coking and unburned kerosene pollution potential. Forty to 100 percent continuous throttling provides potential for real time trajectory matching and engine checkout on the pad before launch commit.
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Flight data file Vehicle: Atlas 3B (AC-204) Payload: EchoStar 7 Launch date: Feb. 21, 2002 Launch window: 7:13-8:14 a.m. EST (1213-1314 GMT Launch site: SLC-36B, Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. Satellite broadcast: Telstar 6, Trans. 22, C-band Pre-launch briefing Launch timeline - Chart with times and descriptions of events to occur during the launch. Ground track - See the trajectory the rocket will follow during its flight. Atlas 3B vehicle data - Overview of the rocket to be used in this launch. EchoStar 7 - Description of this direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite. Atlas index - A directory of our previous Atlas launch coverage. Apollo 11 special patch Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Inside Apollo mission control
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Own a little piece of history with this official patch for the International Space Station's Expedition 11 crew. We'll ship yours today!U.S. Columbia Report A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars Panorama DISCOUNTED! This 360 degree image was taken by the Mars Pathfinder, which landed on the Red Planet in July 1997. The Sojourner Rover is visible in the image. U.S. Apollo 11 Mission Report Apollo 11 - The NASA Mission Reports Vol. 3 is the first comprehensive study of man's first mission to another world is revealed in all of its startling complexity. Includes DVD!U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Rocket DVD If you've ever watched a launch from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg Air Force Base or even Kodiak Island Alaska, there's no better way to describe what you witnessed than with this DVD.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 11 Apollo 11 - The NASA Mission Reports Vol. 3 is the first comprehensive study of man's first mission to another world is revealed in all of its startling complexity. Includes DVD! |
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