Aerojet Motor Plays Key Role in Successful Blue Origin Pad Escape Test

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet, a GenCorp GY company, announced today that its Blue Origin Crew Capsule Escape Solid Rocket Motor (CCE SRM) was part of a successful Pad Escape Test conducted by Blue Origin on Oct. 19 at its West Texas Launch Site.

Aerojet has worked closely with the Blue Origin team in the design and testing of the first of its kind pusher escape system which provides for crew escape in the event of an emergency during any phase of ascent of the Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital launch system.

"Aerojet is proud to be a partner with Blue Origin and contribute to the program's success by applying proven affordable propulsion technologies that meet their unique mission requirements," said Aerojet's Vice President of Tactical Systems, John Myers.

The Aerojet CCE SRM provided thrust to separate the Crew Capsule from a launch vehicle simulator, while the thrust vector control (TVC) system, designed and manufactured by Blue Origin, steered the vehicle through the required maneuvers during motor operation. Ground tests of the CCE SRM were conducted at Aerojet's Camden, Ark., facility.

"Aerojet's motor performed beautifully during our pad escape test," said President and Program Manager of Blue Origin, Rob Meyerson. "Many thanks to the Aerojet team for all the hard work in developing this new motor."

The Pad Escape Test was conducted under the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev2) program with NASA.

About Aerojet

Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader providing propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense, strategic, tactical missile and armaments areas in support of domestic and international markets. GenCorp is a leading technology-based manufacturer of aerospace and defense products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities related to the entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's excess real estate assets. Additional information about Aerojet and GenCorp can be obtained by visiting the companies' websites at www.Aerojet.com and at www.GenCorp.com.

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About Blue Origin

Blue Origin, LLC (Blue Origin) is a private company developing vehicles and technologies to enable commercial human space transportation. Blue Origin has a long-term vision of greatly increasing the number of people that fly into space through low-cost, highly reliable commercial space transportation. For more information, please visit www.blueorigin.com.