AJ-60A
 An AJ-60A booster, without nosecone attached, being fitted to an Atlas V | |
| Manufacturer | Aerojet Rocketdyne |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Used on | Atlas V |
| General characteristics | |
| Height | 17.0 m (669 in) |
| Diameter | 1.6 m (62 in) |
| Gross mass | 46,697 kg (102,949 lb) |
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| |
| Engine details | |
| Thrust | 1,688.4 kN (379,600 lbf) |
| Burn time | 94 seconds |
| Fuel | HTPB |
AJ-60A is a solid rocket booster produced by Aerojet Rocketdyne. They are currently used as strap-on boosters on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket.
History
The AJ-60A rocket motor was developed between 1999 and 2003 for use on the Atlas V.[1] In 2015, ULA announced that the Atlas V will switch to new GEM 63 boosters produced by Orbital ATK. A stretched version of this booster will be used on the upcoming Vulcan rocket.[2]
Design
AJ-60A is a solid fueled rocket burning HTPB. The casing is composed of a graphite epoxy composite, and the engine throat and nozzle are made of carbon-phenolic composite. As configured for use on Atlas V, the nozzle is fixed at a 3 degree cant away from the attachment point, but Aerojet offers a variant with thrust vectoring capability.[1] The Atlas V configuration also features an inward slanting nosecone, but it is available with a conventional nosecone or none at all for use on other rockets. AJ-60A is the largest monolithic solid rocket motor currently in production. The stages are designed to be transported by truck.[3]
References
- 1 2 "Atlas V Solid Rocket Booster". Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ↑ Jason Rhian (23 September 2015). "ULA selects Orbital ATK's GEM 63/63 XL SRBs for Atlas V and Vulcan boosters". Spaceflight Insider.
- ↑ "Atlas V User's Guide 2010" (PDF). 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
