Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Powers Atlas V Upper Stage, Placing X-37B Test Vehicle into Orbit

CANOGA PARK, Calif., Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. military's unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle returned to orbit today on its third mission – thanks to the proven propulsion systems provided by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS.  The mission was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.  The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine and a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10A4-2 upper-stage engine.  Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.  RD AMROSS LLC is a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NPO Energomash.

"I am extremely proud of the tremendous efforts the RL10 team has expended for today's launch," said Christine Cooley , RL10 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

"Congratulations to the entire RD-180 team on today's successful launch of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle," said Bill Parsons , president and CEO of RD AMROSS.  "We could not be more proud of our role in successfully launching the spacecraft on such an important mission."

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a part of Pratt & Whitney, is a preferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including engines for launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines. Behind its successful designs, manufacturing processes, and hardware are Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's research and development engineers, who solve tough problems in extreme environments. For more information, go to www.PrattWhitneyRocketdyne.com.  Follow us at www.Twitter.com/PWRocketdyne and www.Facebook.com/PWRocketdyne.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

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