Orbital ATK announced on Tuesday that it has been tapped by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to study the integration of turbine and hypersonic engine technologies for use in a new aircraft propulsion system.
Orbital is developing other advanced engines, such as a rocket pulse motor for cold weather, and has experience working with hypersonic engine systems.
"The company also maintains a number of state-of-the-art hypersonic test facilities along the East Coast, as well as offers custom test products to organizations to advance these groundbreaking capabilities and meet the needs of tomorrow's warfighter," Orbital said in a press release.
DARPA's Advanced Full Range Engine program aims to develop a new aircraft propulsion system that is capable of a full range of speeds and multiple takeoff and landing methods, along with technology and systems that can operate and be sustainable at hypersonic speeds.
In addition to Orbital working DARPA on the integrated engine, the company is developing a rocket pulse motor that has the ability to operate in extreme cold temperatures with the goal of providing commanders with increased range and flexibility for both tactical and defense operations.
Rocket Lab successfully sends rocket into orbit
Aerospace company Rocket Lab said Sunday it had successfully fired a rocket into orbit for the first time from its New Zealand launch base.
"Electron is orbital. Successful payload deployment," the company tweeted.
The Electron rocket, named "Still Testing", took off from Mahia, on the east coast of the North Island, at 2.45pm (0145 GMT) on Sunday and reached orbit eight minutes late … read more
