Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) has selected Volvo Aero to participate in the early development phase of the nozzles for the J-2X engine, destined for NASA’s new manned launcher ARES I, the successor of the current Space Shuttle.
PWR has chosen Volvo Aero for its extensive experience in development and manufacturing of rocket nozzles. The contract may develop into Volvo Aero’s most significant US space endeavor, and it is the first time Volvo Aero participates in the development of a manned system.
Introduced by President Bush in 2004, the US Vision for Space Exploration lays out the plans for NASA to develop a successor to the space shuttle, which is to retire by 2010. The plan includes the development of a space shuttle that will enable manned travels to the moon and eventually Mars. The first version of the new system is expected to be ready in 2014.
PWR was chosen by NASA to develop the J-2X rocket engine. The J-2X engine builds on the Apollo heritage, and is a derivative of the J-2 engine, which powered the second and third stages of the Saturn 5 moon rocket. The baseline concept for J-2X includes a nozzle with significant resemblance to the nozzle Volvo Aero today produces for the Vulcain 2 engine, propelling the Ariane 5 ECA rocket.
In addition to Volvo Aero’s extensive experience, including more than 1000 nozzles flown on Ariane, PWR selected Volvo Aero because of the technologies Volvo Aero has developed for actively and passively cooled nozzle extensions in close collaboration with the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB). The lead theme in the development of new technologies at Volvo Aero has been to combine as simple as possible designs with robust manufacturing processes thus enabling a high reliability at a low product cost.
Layers on Mars are yielding history lessons revealed by instruments flying overhead and rolling across the surface.
Some of the first radar and imaging results from NASA's newest Mars spacecraft, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, show details in layers of ice-rich deposits near the poles. Observed variations in the layers' thickness and composition will yield information about recent climate cycles on the red planet.
The TACSAT-2/Minotaur 1 launch set for Monday, Dec. 11, was delayed and Friday, Dec. 15 is the earliest possible launch date. Analysis and testing continue on the TacSat-2 flight software and the ground-based simulator at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The launch window now extends to Dec. 22. The launch time remains 7 to 10 a.m. each day. As information becomes available, updates will be provided on this web site at www.wff.nasa.gov/tacsat2 and on the Wallops Flight Facility launch status line at 757-824-2050.