P&WR Boosts US DoD Satellite

• to Increase Worldwide Military Communications

(Canoga Park, Calif., December 7, 2009) -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne helped boost into orbit the third in a series of Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites designed to increase communications capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. The mission launched Dec. 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV medium+ rocket with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 and RL10 engines providing the booster and upper stage propulsion, respectively. This was the 11th launch of a Delta IV vehicle powered by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engines. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

"Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is proud to have been able to provide reliable propulsion for this critical mission," said Craig Stoker, RS-68 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. "By successfully boosting WGS-3, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne played a significant role in increasing the communications capabilities for military forces deployed worldwide."


The WGS satellites are part of a larger system that increases military communications capabilities for U.S. and allied forces deployed worldwide. They help support the exchange of information, execution of tactical command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

"Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's engines performed as expected in providing the power to place these critical communications systems into space and enable operational use," said Christine Cooley, RL10 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

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