HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Dec. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet Rocketdyne has been awarded a $98.5 million contract under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) by the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium to develop and manufacture motors and sleds in support of the Joint Economical Sled Track Rockets (JESTR) program.

“Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket sled motors helped the Air Force set the land speed record in 2003,” said Eileen P. Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. “Today we look forward to supporting the Air Force and Navy with advanced solid rocket motors and sleds to support development of the nation’s next generation defense needs.”

Track testing, an economical precursor to flight testing, enables data collection including impact survivability, weather and aerothermal effects, sensor performance and guidance system performance.

The Defense Department uses sleds as test vehicles to test hypersonic components, missiles and ejection seats. The sleds are accelerated by solid rocket motors on iron tracks, simulating portions of the flight environment. The rocket sleds are engineered to be able to accelerate to supersonic and hypersonic regimes, reaching speeds in excess of Mach 5.

Aerojet Rocketdyne will support the JESTR program for the Air Force’s Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT), China Lake Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track, and the Eglin Air Force Base Test Track.

Approximately 9.6 miles long, the HHSTT is the longest facility of its type in the world. The world land speed record was set at HHSTT when two Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket motors propelled a sled called Super Road Runner to a speed of 9,465 feet per second.

About Aerojet Rocketdyne: Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AJRD), is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion systems and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, and tactical systems areas, in support of domestic and international customers. For more information, visit www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com. Follow Aerojet Rocketdyne and CEO Eileen Drake on Twitter at @AerojetRdyne and @DrakeEileen.

Media Contact:
Eileen Lainez, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 571-239-7839
eileen.lainez@rocket.com