ATK Propulsion Supports the Successful Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour
Alliant Techsystems' reusable solid Rocket motors (RSRM) performed flawlessly last night asNASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour launched into orbit to begin its mission to the International Space Station (ISS). During the first two minutes of flight, the RSRMs provided more than 6 million pounds of thrust. During the 11-day mission, Endeavour's crew of seven astronauts will add the Starboard 5 segment to the right side of the station's backbone, or truss, to provide clearance between sets of solar arrays on the truss structure. While on orbit, the crew will also install an external stowage platform to the station using the robotic arms and deliver several thousand pounds of cargo aboard a Spacehab Logistics Module. Another high priority will be the replacement of an ISS gyroscope that was taken off line in October 2006. This is the first flight of Endeavour since 2002. It has undergone extensive modifications, including the addition of safety upgrades already added to orbiters Discovery and Atlantis. STS-118 is the 119th shuttle flight and the 22nd U.S. flight to the International Space Station. ATK solid Rocket motors have flown on each Space Shuttle mission since the inception of the program in 1981, and today are the only human-rated solid Rocket motors produced in the U.S. |
