Russian-American RD-180 Rocket Engine Achieves 100 % Mission Success

(Moscow Air Show, Zhukovsky, Russia, August 19, 2009) -- The RD-180 booster engine has successfully powered 22 consecutive Atlas series rocket launches with 100 percent mission success.

The RD-180 rocket booster engine is provided by RD AMROSS, LLC, a partnership between the world's two premier liquid rocket propulsion companies -- NPO Energomash of Russia and U.S.-based Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.


The RD-180, a dual thrust chamber assembly engine, delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust to launch the United Launch Alliance Atlas rocket on a variety of commercial and military satellite missions. The engine is flight proven on the Atlas III and the Atlas V during the last nine years.

"The high performance of the RD-180 and its demonstrated reliability are direct benefits to mission success," said Steve Bouley, vice president, Launch Vehicle & Hypersonic Systems, P&W Rocketdyne.

"The RD-180 engine has proven to be one of the most reliable and safest rocket engines in the world with its support of the Atlas series," said Len Dest, president and CEO, RD AMROSS.

Source : Pratt & Whitney, A United Technologies Company (NYSE:UTX)