Aerojet has completed Throttling Divert and Attitude Control System qualification testing with the successful altitude hot fire test for the Standard Missile-3 Block IB program. The SM-3 program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency and by prime contractor Raytheon.
Aerojet is a GenCorp company.
The final TDACS qualification unit was altitude tested at Aerojet’s Sacramento, Calif., headquarters. A total of five TDACS were subjected to rigorous qualification requirements. The units were exposed to environmental extremes and various operational duty cycles. The success of these tests validates that the SM-3 Block IB TDACS design with Aerojet’s unique throttling solid propulsion technology can operate in all expected environments.
“This is the last qualification test in a series of five qualification tests. It is the final ground test verification needed to support SM-3 Block IB production decisions this year,” said Michael Bright, vice president of the Missile Defense and Strategic Systems Business Unit.
“These successful qualification tests reflect the significant engineering discipline and technical excellence used to develop Aerojet’s TDACS,” said Marvin Young, vice president of Engineering.
The SM-3 Block IB TDACS is produced at Aerojet’s Sacramento, Calif., facility. The SM-3 is powered by Aerojet’s MK 72 first stage booster and MK 104 second stage dual-thrust rocket motor which are produced at Aerojet’s Camden, Ark., facility.
SM-3 Block IB, developed as part of MDA’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System Phased Adaptive Approach, uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets, and is designed to engage threat ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere during the mid-course phase of an incoming missile.
