Atlas V solid rocket booster modifications validated Published Feb. 21, 2006 By Ranney Adams Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As radios crackled with the countdown “five, four, three, two, one … ignition,” members of the Air Force Research Lab at Edwards witnessed the third validation-static firing of Aerojet’s Block B Solid Rocket Booster. This 90-second static firing occurred Jan. 27 at the lab’s Edwards Research Site, and produced 250,000 pounds of thrust while being held in place by a special test fixture to capture performance data. The booster is currently used by Lockheed Martin’s Atlas V expendable launch vehicle to increase its lift capability, and five of these same Block B boosters were used for the NASA New Horizon Pluto exploration mission launch on Jan. 19. “The motors accelerated the payload and launch vehicle off the pad at a blistering two G’s,” said Mel Bulman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics section leader. “The spacecraft reached 36,256 miles per hour or 16.2 kilometers per second. The speed was so great that it swept past the orbit of the moon in only 9 hours compared to three days (needed) for the Apollo astronauts.” The Block B booster’s design upgrade provides enhanced performance and reliability to the Atlas V family of launch options. “This, the third successful test fire of the upgraded Solid Rocket Booster, confirmed Aerojet’s modified booster design,” said Scott Neish, Aerojet president. “We are pleased with the collaboration of Lockheed Martin, NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the AFRL.” The lab’s Edwards Research Site and its personnel use unique research, development, and test facilities to provide state-of-the-art capabilities to provide the nation with the most modern rocket propulsion technology possible.