Northrop Grumman Picks Firefly to Replace Russian Engines on Antares Rocket
upstart writes:
Northrop Grumman picks Firefly to replace Russian engines on Antares rocket:
Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket is about to get an all-American upgrade with the help of Firefly Aerospace.
The two U.S. space companies announced Monday (Aug. 8) they are working together to build a new first stage for Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket while also developing a brand-new medium-lift booster for future launches. The partnership means Northrop Grumman will replace the current Antares rocket, which is built in Ukraine and powered by Russian engines, with a more powerful version (called the Antares 330) that can carry heavier payloads.
The move removes Northrop Grumman's dependency on Ukraine and Russia for critical components of the Antares rocket, which the company uses to fly Cygnus cargo ship missions to the International Space Station for NASA.
"Through our collaboration, we will first develop a fully domestic version of our Antares rocket, the Antares 330, for Cygnus space station commercial resupply services, followed by an entirely new medium class launch vehicle," Scott Lehr, Northrop Grumman's vice president and general manager, launch and missile defense systems, said in a statement (opens in new tab).
Related: Northrop Grumman's Cygnus boosts International Space Station's
Not THAT Firefly!
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